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Morgan Stanley Downgrades Enterprise Products (EPD) as Growth Story Fades
Yahoo Finance· 2025-12-23 22:45
Core Viewpoint - Morgan Stanley downgraded Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD) to Underweight from Equal Weight, citing challenges in maintaining growth within the midstream sector and setting a price target of $34 [2] Group 1: Financial Performance and Projections - Enterprise Products is concluding a significant investment phase that began in 2022, with approximately $6 billion in organic projects expected to commence commercial service in the latter half of this year [3] - Capital investment for the current year reached about $4.5 billion, with management forecasting a sharp decline in growth capital to approximately $2.2 billion to $2.5 billion next year [4] - If projections hold, free cash flow is anticipated to increase significantly by 2026, providing more capacity for the company to reward unitholders [4] Group 2: Shareholder Returns and Buybacks - The partnership has expanded its repurchase authorization from $2 billion to $5 billion, indicating a commitment to returning value to shareholders [4] - Enterprise Products has a strong distribution history, having raised its payout for 27 consecutive years, including a 3.8% increase over the past year [4] Group 3: Market Position and Comparisons - Enterprise Products operates one of the largest midstream networks in North America, highlighting its significant market presence [5] - Despite the potential of EPD as an investment, comparisons are made to certain AI stocks that may offer greater upside potential and lower downside risk [5]