Kinder Morgan(KMI) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2025, adjusted EBITDA increased by 10% compared to Q4 2024, and adjusted EPS grew by 22% [5] - Net income attributable to Kinder Morgan for Q4 2025 was $996 million, with EPS of $0.45, representing increases of 49% and 50% respectively compared to Q4 2024 [14] - The company achieved record levels for EBITDA and net income in 2025, exceeding budget expectations [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Natural gas transport volumes rose by 9% in Q4 2025 compared to Q4 2024, with a 5% increase for the full year [9] - Natural gas gathering volumes increased by 19% in Q4 2025 compared to Q4 2024, with a full-year increase of 4% [9] - Refined products volumes decreased by 2% in Q4 2025 compared to Q4 2024, while crude and condensate volumes fell by 8% in the same period [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company expects feed gas demand to average 19.8 BCF per day in 2026, a 19% increase from 16.6 BCF per day in 2025, with projections of over 34 BCF per day by 2030 [3] - The utilization of liquid lease capacity remains high at 93%, with tank utilization at key hubs reaching 99% [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Kinder Morgan's strategy focuses on expanding its natural gas assets, with a project backlog increasing to approximately $10 billion [5] - The company is exploring over $10 billion in additional project opportunities beyond the current backlog [6] - The management emphasizes a disciplined approach to capital allocation while maintaining a strong balance sheet, with a net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio improving to 3.8 times [16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed a bullish outlook on natural gas demand, driven by the need for additional LNG feed gas for export facilities [3] - The company anticipates continued strong performance in 2026, supported by the strength of its natural gas assets [4] - Management noted that the financial profile has strengthened, with recent credit rating upgrades from S&P and Fitch [16] Other Important Information - The company completed a significant asset sale, generating a gain that contributed to the strong financial results [15] - The management team is undergoing a transition, with Tom Martin retiring and Dax stepping into the president's role [7] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss the data center opportunities and the 70% exposure mentioned? - The backlog includes about 60% associated with power projects, with significant growth expected in states like Georgia [22] Question: What are the next steps for the Western Gateway project? - The project is being evaluated based on risk and return, with a focus on long-term shipper contracts [26] Question: How do you view leverage levels and capital allocation? - The company plans to spend about $3 billion per year in CapEx, which can be funded entirely from cash flow [28] Question: What is the impact of the Double H conversion project? - The project is expected to come online in late Q1 or early Q2, with positive discussions ongoing for future phases [31] Question: How significant is Continental Resources as a customer? - Continental represents about 3% of Kinder Morgan's overall EBITDA, and the impact from their drilling halt is manageable [36] Question: Are there more non-core assets for sale? - The recent asset sale was opportunistic, and the company is open to selling assets at the right price [39] Question: What are the opportunities in the Midwest for NGPL? - There are significant discussions and binding commitments for projects, with a focus on securing returns before progressing [50]