Kinder Morgan Posts Record Earnings as LNG Demand Fuels Pipeline Growth

Core Insights - Kinder Morgan reported record financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2025, highlighting the increasing importance of U.S. natural gas infrastructure in meeting domestic and global energy demands [1] Financial Performance - The company posted fourth-quarter net income attributable to shareholders of $996 million, a significant increase from $667 million the previous year, with adjusted net income rising 22% year-on-year to $866 million [2] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter reached $2.27 billion, reflecting a 10% increase, driven by strong performance in the Natural Gas Pipelines segment [2] - Earnings per share (EPS) rose sharply, with reported EPS increasing 50% year-on-year to $0.45 and adjusted EPS up 22% to $0.39 [3] - For the full year, net income attributable to Kinder Morgan increased by 17% compared to 2024, while adjusted EPS and adjusted EBITDA grew by 13% and 6%, respectively [3] Dividend and Future Expectations - The board approved a quarterly dividend of $0.2925 per share, marking a 2% increase from the prior year, with expectations to raise dividends again in 2026 to $1.19 per share [4] - The company anticipates total U.S. natural gas demand to grow by 17% by 2030, driven by LNG exports and power generation [7] Business Segments and Operations - The strong performance was primarily attributed to the natural gas business, which saw a 9% year-on-year increase in transport volumes and a 19% increase in gathering volumes, particularly linked to LNG exports [5] - Kinder Morgan now delivers over 40% of the natural gas feedstock consumed by U.S. LNG export terminals, underscoring its role in energy security amid geopolitical tensions [6] Project Backlog and Financial Health - At year-end, the project backlog stood at $10 billion, with approximately 90% related to natural gas projects and nearly 60% supporting power generation [8] - The company ended the quarter with a net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.8x, consistent with long-term leverage targets, and cash flow from operations reached $1.7 billion [9]