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MLP Monthly Report: May 2017

May 24, 2017

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The May MLP Monthly Report can be found here, offering insights on MLP industry news, the asset class’s performance, yields, valuations, and fundamental drivers.

Summary

News: 1) OPEC energy ministers plan to meet with Russia to discuss extending oil output cuts. The 24 countries that agreed to a production cut last year will meet in Vienna on May 25th to decide whether to extend the deal through the rest of 2017. 2) The tax reform proposal by the Trump administration appears positive for MLP unitholders. The plan released by the administration proposes to reduce the top tax rate on pass-through entities (including MLPs) to 15% from the current rate of up to 36.9%. 3) Sunoco Logistics Partners completed its merger with Energy Transfer Partners on April 28th. The combined entities are now operating as Energy Transfer Partners LP under ticker ETP, which began trading as a standalone entity on May 1st. (Source: Rigzone, MLP Data)

Performance: Midstream MLPs, as measured by the Solactive MLP Infrastructure Index, declined 1.20% last month partly due to lower oil prices. The index has gained 12.34% over the last one-year period. (Source: Bloomberg)

Yield: The current yield on MLPs stands at 6.69%. MLP yields remained higher than the broad market benchmarks for High Yield Bonds (5.63%), Preferreds (5.38%), Emerging Market Bonds (5.35%), and REITs (3.97%).1 MLP yield spreads versus 10-year Treasuries currently stand at 4.40%, higher than the long-term average of 3.64%. (Sources: Bloomberg, AltaVista Research, and Fed Reserve)

Valuations: The Enterprise Value to EBITDA ratio (EV-to-EBITDA), which seeks to provide more color on the valuations of MLPs, decreased in April compared to March as MLP unit prices fell. Since April 2016, the EV-to-EBITDA ratio has increased approximately 5.1%, as oil prices, and subsequently MLP equities, recovered from previous lows. In addition, from 2015 to 2016, MLP Debt to Adjusted EBITDA ratios fell -6.9% from 4.90x to 4.56x, as MLPs continue to make concerted efforts reduce leverage ratios. (Source: Bloomberg, MLPData, company financials).

Production Output: The Baker Hughes Rig Count increased by 46 rigs compared to last month to 870 rigs. The rig count has more than doubled since its recent low point in May 2016 of 404 rigs. US production of crude oil rose to 9,293 in thousands of barrels produced per day in the last week of April from 9199 at the end of March. (Source: Baker Hughes & EIA)

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month- and quarter-end, please click here

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Category: Articles

Topics: MLPs

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Global X Management Company, LLC serves as an advisor to the Global X Funds. The Funds are distributed by SEI Investments Distribution Co. (SIDCO, 1 Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA, 19456), which is not affiliated with Global X Management Company, LLC.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. In addition to the normal risks associated with investing, international investments may involve risk of capital loss from unfavorable fluctuation in currency values, from differences in generally accepted accounting principles or from economic or political instability in other nations. Investments in securities of MLPs involve risk that differ from investments in common stock including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP. MLP common units and other equity securities can be affected by macro-economic and other factors affecting the stock market in general, expectations of interest rates, investor sentiment towards MLPs or the energy sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). The Fund invests in the energy industry, which entails significant risk and volatility. In addition, the Fund is non- diversified which represents a heightened risk to investors. Furthermore, the Fund invests in small and mid-capitalization companies, which pose greater risks than large companies. The Fund has a different and more complex tax structure than traditional ETFs and investors should consider carefully the significant tax implications of an investment in the Fund. Current and future holdings are subject to risk.

The fund is taxed as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes, which differs from most investment companies. Due to its investment in MLPs, the fund will be obligated to pay applicable federal and state corporate income taxes on its taxable income as opposed to most other investment companies. The fund expects that a portion of the distributions it receives from MLPs may be treated as tax-deferred return of capital. The amount of taxes currently paid by the fund will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from MLP interests and such taxes will reduce an investor’s return from an investment in the fund. The fund will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated certain MLP interests. Upon the sale of an MLP security, the fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes which may increase expenses and lower the fund’s NAV. The potential tax benefits from investing in MLPs depend on them being treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. If the MLP is deemed to be a corporation then its income would be subject to federal taxation at the entity level, reducing the amount of cash available for distribution to the fund which could result in a reduction of the fund’s value. The index however is calculated without any deductions for taxes. As a result, the Fund’s after tax performance could differ significantly from the index even if the pretax performance of the Fund and the performance of the index are closely correlated.

Bonds and bond funds will decrease in value as interest rates rise. High yield bonds involve greater risks of default or downgrade and are more volatile than investment grade securities, due to the speculative nature of their investments. In addition to the normal risks associated with investing, real estate and REIT investments are subject to changes in economic conditions, credit risk and interest rate fluctuations. Emerging markets involve heightened risks related to the same factors as well as increased volatility and lower trading volume. Preferred stock is subject to many of the risks associated with debt securities, including interest rate risk. In addition, preferred stock may not pay a dividend, an issuer may suspend payment of dividends on preferred stock at any time, and in certain situations an issuer may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it to common stock.

U.S. Treasury securities are considered to be of high credit quality and are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. U.S. Treasury securities, if held to maturity, guarantee a return of principal while no other securities mentioned in this material offer such a guarantee.

Shares are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Market price returns are based upon the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at the close of the exchange and does not represent the returns an investor would receive if shares were trade at other times.  Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Global X NAVs are calculated using prices as of 4:00 PM Eastern Time.

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Indices are unmanaged and do not include the effect of fees, expenses or sales charges. One cannot invest directly in an index. Index data source: Solactive AG.

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