Core Insights - Oil prices have experienced significant gains this month, driven by geopolitical tensions and supply concerns, but have also faced sharp daily reversals, creating a challenging environment for energy investing [3][4] - Broker-recommended stocks such as Expand Energy, Energy Transfer LP, and Archrock, Inc. are highlighted as potential investment opportunities amid the volatility [1][9] Group 1: Oil Market Dynamics - Brent crude has recently surpassed $70 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate has crossed the mid-$60s, indicating multi-month highs and double-digit percentage gains on a monthly basis [3] - Daily price swings have been notable, with prices pulling back by more than 1% in single sessions, influenced by risk-off sentiment, a strengthening U.S. dollar, and changing expectations regarding supply disruptions [4] - Escalating U.S.-Iran tensions have contributed to volatility, with fears of military action and potential disruptions to shipping routes increasing risk premiums [5] Group 2: Company Insights - **Expand Energy**: The largest natural gas producer in the U.S., focused on exploration and production, particularly in the Haynesville and Appalachian regions. It has a strong broker support with 25 out of 30 brokers recommending Strong Buy [13][15] - **Energy Transfer LP**: A major energy partnership with a diversified midstream network, owning extensive infrastructure across the U.S. It has no Strong Sell ratings and a favorable average brokerage recommendation of 1.50 [17][18] - **Archrock, Inc.**: A leading energy infrastructure company specializing in midstream natural gas compression, operating the largest compression fleet in the U.S. It has a favorable average brokerage recommendation of 1.55, with seven out of eleven brokers rating it as Strong Buy [21][22]

Core Insights - Dividend stocks are favored by investors, particularly Boomers and older Gen X, due to their ability to provide steady passive income and total return potential [1][2] - Total return includes interest, capital gains, dividends, and distributions, exemplified by a stock purchased at $20 with a 3% dividend yielding a total return of 13% when the price rises to $22 [1] - Anticipation of two rate cuts in 2026 suggests that investors should consider high-yield dividend stocks now [1] Dividend Stocks Overview - Since 1926, dividends have contributed approximately 32% to the S&P 500's total return, with capital appreciation accounting for 68% [4] - A study indicates that dividend stocks delivered an annualized return of 9.18% from 1973 to 2023, significantly outperforming non-payers at 3.95% [4] Featured Companies - **Altria Group Inc.**: Offers a 7.30% dividend yield and is a major player in the tobacco industry, selling primarily through wholesalers [5][6] - **Apple Hospitality REIT Inc.**: Owns a large portfolio of upscale hotels, providing an 8.10% monthly dividend [9][10] - **Energy Transfer L.P.**: A leading midstream energy company with a 7.97% distribution, owning over 114,000 miles of pipelines [11][12] - **Healthpeak Properties Inc.**: Focuses on healthcare real estate with a 7.56% dividend, managing properties across various healthcare segments [17][18] - **Verizon Communications Inc.**: A telecommunications giant with a 6.71% dividend, showing strong financial metrics and consistent dividend growth over 20 years [19][20]

Core Insights - The midstream sector is demonstrating strong financial health at the start of 2026, with numerous companies announcing increases in distributions and dividends, reinforcing its position as a reliable income source for investors [1] Payout Growth Across Midstream - Williams (WMB) raised its quarterly cash dividend to $0.525 from $0.50, a 5% increase [1] - Plains All American (PAA/PAGP) increased its quarterly distribution to $0.4175 per unit, reflecting a 9.9% rise [1] - Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) raised its distribution to $0.55, nearly a 1% increase [1] - ONEOK (OKE) announced a 4% sequential increase to $1.07 per share [1] Broad Sector Momentum - Energy Transfer (ET) increased its quarterly distribution to $0.335, a 3.1% year-over-year rise from $0.325 [1] - Hess Midstream (HESM) raised its payout to $0.7641, marking a 9.0% year-over-year increase [1] - Sunoco LP (SUN) announced a distribution of $0.9317, a 5.1% year-over-year increase [1] - Genesis Energy (GEL) raised its distribution by $0.015 to $0.18 per unit, a 9.1% increase [1] - Kinetik (KNTK) raised its payout to $0.81, reflecting a 4% sequential increase [1] - Delek Logistics (DKL) increased its payout to $1.125, representing a 1.85% year-over-year rise [1] ETF Exposure - Energy Transfer, Enterprise, Hess Midstream, Genesis, Delek Logistics, Sunoco, and Plains are included in both the Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP) and the Alerian Energy Infrastructure ETF (ENFR) [1] - AMLP tracks the Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index (AMZI), while ENFR tracks the Alerian Midstream Energy Select Index (AMEI) [1] - Williams, ONEOK, and Kinetik operate as C-corps, with only ENFR holding them [1]

Growth stocks are attractive to many investors, as above-average financial growth helps these stocks easily grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. But finding a great growth stock is not easy at all.That's because, these stocks usually carry above-average risk and volatility. In fact, betting on a stock for which the growth story is actually over or nearing its end could lead to significant loss.However, the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks ...

Core Insights - Stardust Solar Energy Inc. is positioned to benefit from the accelerating global solar adoption and is focusing on recurring revenue streams through royalties, technology-enabled subscriptions, and franchised solar operations [1][2]. Company Overview - Stardust Solar Energy Inc. operates as a diversified solar royalty company, developing multiple recurring revenue streams across residential, commercial, and utility-scale markets in North America, with plans for international expansion [2]. - The company generates revenue through various channels, including royalties, licensing arrangements, subscription models, training and education programs, and contributions from its clean-energy franchise operations [2]. Industry Trends - The article highlights the trends in global solar adoption, including policy and cost factors that are shaping the deployment of solar energy solutions [1].

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) ("SUN†or the "Partnership†) announced a quarterly distribution of $0.9317 per common unit, or $3.7268 on an annualized basis, for the quarter ended December 31, 2025. This represents an increase of approximately 1.25%, or $0.0115 per common unit, as compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025. Qualified Notice with respect to Distributions on SUN Common Units This release serves as qualified notice to nominees as provided for under Treasury Regulation Se ...

Core Viewpoint - Energy Transfer is a major player in North America's energy infrastructure, offering a reliable 7.5% yield, but trust issues stemming from past performance may deter conservative income investors [1] Business Overview - Energy Transfer operates a complex business model that includes its own midstream assets and the management of two other publicly traded MLPs, Sunoco LP and USA Compression Partners, with management fees contributing about 15% to adjusted EBITDA [2] - The company's distributable cash flow for the first nine months of 2025 comfortably covered its distribution by 1.8 times, with a financial debt-to-EBITDA ratio of approximately 4.2, indicating manageable leverage [3] Future Prospects - Energy Transfer has planned $5.5 billion in capital investment projects for 2026, which is expected to support distribution growth of 3% to 5%, aligning with its long-term goal of becoming a more reliable income investment [4] Historical Challenges - The main concern for conservative investors is the company's past performance, particularly during the 2020 downturn when it cut its distribution in half due to the pandemic's impact on oil prices, which may lead to skepticism about its reliability as an income source [5][6] - Although the distribution has since recovered and surpassed pre-cut levels, the historical decision to cut may still influence investor sentiment [6] Summary - Energy Transfer is a significant midstream business in North America with a strong cash flow covering its yield, solid future growth prospects, but historical issues may pose challenges for conservative investors [7]

Industry Overview - The convenience store industry is experiencing a trend where retailers are either pursuing growth through acquisitions or opting to sell their businesses for a clean exit, a trend expected to continue into 2026 [1] - The consolidation trend is evident as Maverik rebranded Kum & Go locations after acquiring the chain in 2023, and Pops Mart sold its 54-store chain to three separate buyers in 2026 [2] Company Actions - Pops Mart has sold its 54 convenience stores to three buyers, with Sunoco LP acquiring 36 stores and Petroleum Marketing Group acquiring seven stores, while details on the remaining 11 stores are not disclosed [3][5] - The sale was completed with advisory services from American Business Brokers & Advisors, although financial details were not disclosed [4] - Pops Mart was in the process of expanding when approached by Sunoco, leading to the decision to sell due to strategic and operational synergies [6] Market Conditions - The exit of Pops Mart highlights a broader trend of consolidation in the convenience store sector, driven by stagnant in-store transaction growth and increasing competitive pressure [7]

Core Viewpoint - Energy Transfer LP announced a quarterly cash distribution of $0.2111 per Series I Preferred Unit, to be paid on February 17, 2026, to unitholders of record as of February 4, 2026 [1]. Company Overview - Energy Transfer LP operates one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets in the U.S., with approximately 140,000 miles of pipeline and associated energy infrastructure [2]. - The company's strategic network spans 44 states and includes assets in all major U.S. production basins [2]. - Core operations encompass natural gas midstream, transportation and storage assets, crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGL), and refined product transportation and terminalling assets [2]. - Energy Transfer owns general partner interests and significant common units in Sunoco LP and USA Compression Partners, LP, representing 15% and 32% of their respective outstanding common units [2].

Market Analysis by covering: Natural Gas Futures, Sunoco LP, Kinder Morgan Inc, Energy Transfer Equity LP. Read 's Market Analysis on Investing.com ...