Energy Market Overview - Global energy demand is expected to grow steadily, driven by population growth, urbanization, and economic development, with developing economies like India (32%), China (26%), Africa (15%), and Southeast Asia (15%) leading the increase from 2017 to 2040[9] - The U S is the largest oil and gas producer globally, with production expected to grow by approximately 33% by 2025, positioning it as a key trade partner[11, 15] - By 2025, the U S is projected to supply over 50% of the expected global supply increase and produce nearly 1 out of every 5 barrels of oil and 1 out of every 4 cubic meters of natural gas worldwide[15] Kinder Morgan's Business and Financial Highlights - Kinder Morgan is a leader in energy infrastructure, operating approximately 70,000 miles of natural gas pipelines and transporting about 40% of the natural gas consumed in the U S [20, 49] - The company anticipates approximately $5 billion in distributable cash flow (DCF) for 2019, allocating around $2 billion for dividends and $3 billion for enhancing shareholder value[21] - Kinder Morgan has a market capitalization exceeding $40 billion and boasts investment-grade rated debt, with recent upgrades to BBB / Baa2 by S&P and Moody's[24] - The company offers a current dividend yield of 5% based on a $20 share price, with a planned 25% dividend growth in both 2019 ($1 00/share) and 2020 ($1 25/share)[24, 30] - Kinder Morgan has repurchased approximately $525 million of its shares since December 2017 as part of a $2 billion share buyback program[24] Growth and Capital Projects - The company has $6 1 billion of commercially secured capital projects underway, primarily focused on natural gas opportunities[36] - U S natural gas production is projected to grow by over 30 Bcfd, nearly 40%, by 2030, with over 70% of the forecasted demand growth concentrated in Texas and Louisiana[33, 34] - Kinder Morgan is investing in Permian takeaway projects, including GCX and PHP, with a combined capacity of 4 1 Bcfd, and is in discussions for a potential third pipeline[40, 42] - The company's network is contracted for over 5 7 Bcfd of transport capacity to U S liquefaction facilities under 19-year average term contracts, with approximately $1 billion invested in transportation infrastructure to support LNG exports[49] Financial Performance and Stability - Approximately 90% of Kinder Morgan's earnings are underpinned by take-or-pay or fee-based contracts, ensuring stable cash flows[65] - The company projects approximately $8 billion in adjusted EBITDA for 2019[66] - Kinder Morgan has a long-term target net debt / adjusted EBITDA ratio of approximately 4 5x, which was reached as of March 31, 2019[30]

Financial Performance and Guidance - The company's 2021 budgeted Adjusted EBITDA is $6.8 billion, a decrease of approximately 2% compared to the 2020 forecast, reflecting headwinds from lower re-contracting rates and crude volumes[15] - 2021 Distributable Cash Flow (DCF) is budgeted at $4.4 billion, down approximately 3% from the 2020 forecast, also impacted by higher anticipated sustaining capex[15] - Net income for 2021 is projected to be greater than $2.1 billion, an increase primarily due to asset and goodwill impairments taken during 2020[15] - The company has a $2 billion share buyback program, with $575 million already purchased since December 2017[13] - The company maintains a current dividend yield of over 7%, with a Q3 2020 annualized dividend of $1.05 per share[14] Business Overview and Strategy - The company moves approximately 40% of U S natural gas consumption and exports[9] - Approximately 74% of the company's earnings are from take-or-pay or hedged contracts, providing stable cash flows[37, 48] - The company has commercially-secured capital projects underway totaling $2.6 billion as of September 30, 2020[23] - The company's business mix includes 62% natural gas, 15% products, 14% terminals, 6% CO2, and 3% oil & gas production[11] Market and Industry Trends - U S natural gas demand is expected to grow, with over 85% of the forecasted demand growth driven by Texas and Louisiana[18] - Global biofuels demand is expected to increase by approximately 146% from 2019 to 2040[46]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the potential of dividend stocks as attractive investments during bear markets, highlighting their ability to provide passive income and offset share price declines. Group 1: AT&T - Following asset sales, AT&T is better positioned to deliver dependable dividends, outperforming the S&P 500 index in 2025 [3][4] - The company has refocused on its core wireless and broadband businesses, divesting WarnerMedia and DirecTV, which allowed it to pay down debt and expand its 5G and fiber networks [4] - AT&T gained 1.7 million postpaid phone customers and 1 million fiber customers in 2024, marking its seventh consecutive year of adding over 1 million high-speed internet accounts [5] - The company plans to grow its fiber network to over 50 million locations by the end of the decade, with consumer fiber broadband revenue expected to rise by "mid-teens" percentages in 2025 [6] - AT&T forecasts free cash flow of over $16 billion in 2025, with projected dividend payments exceeding $20 billion over the next three years, yielding 3.9% [7] Group 2: Kinder Morgan - Kinder Morgan is positioned to benefit from the AI boom while providing substantial cash payouts to investors [8] - The company operates the largest natural gas transmission network in the U.S., with 66,000 miles of pipeline transporting about 40% of the country's gas [9] - Kinder Morgan's fee-based contracts help insulate its business from commodity price fluctuations, reducing risks for investors [10] - The company is expected to benefit from rising U.S. LNG exports, increasing natural gas demand in the industrial sector, and a projected 160% rise in data center power demand due to the AI boom by 2030 [10][12] - With a projected cash payout of $1.17 per share in 2025, Kinder Morgan offers an attractive forward yield of 4.2% [11]