Goldman Sachs Forecasts High Gas Prices And LNG Demand Drive Kinder Morgan's Revenue

Group 1 - Goldman Sachs analyst John Mackay maintains a Buy rating on Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI) with a price target of $31.00, anticipating first-quarter EBITDA of $2.18 billion, slightly above consensus estimates of $2.14 billion and company guidance of $2.17 billion [1] - Analysts project EBITDA of $1.54 billion for the first quarter, an increase from $1.43 billion in the fourth quarter of FY24, driven by the Outrigger acquisition, higher natural gas prices, and seasonal marketing benefits [2] - Kinder Morgan expects the first quarter to benefit from higher commodity prices, marking a shift after four consecutive quarters of weaker-than-expected pricing in FY24, with improved gas and crude pricing potentially providing a $50 million tailwind [3] Group 2 - The company anticipates substantial natural gas demand growth from 2024 to 2030, primarily driven by LNG exports, with KMI holding a 45-50% market share in LNG exports and power plant connections, positioning it well for expansion in Texas, Louisiana, and the southern U.S. [4] - Kinder Morgan plans to shift focus from large-scale projects to smaller developments, with future announcements likely ranging from hundreds of millions to $500 million, while larger expansions remain possibilities with updates expected throughout 2025 [5]