Kinetik Q2 Earnings Call Highlights

Kinetik reported record second-quarter results , including $281 million in Adjusted EBITDA, $195 million in distributable cash flow and $105 million in free cash flow. Midstream Logistics EBITDA increased 35% year over year to $205 million. The company raised its 2026 Adjusted EBITDA guidance to $1.04 billion–$1.10 billion, up $70 million at the midpoint, and lifted capital expenditure guidance to approximately $560 million to support higher volumes and customer development. Kinetik expanded its growth plans, increasing the Kings Landing 2 processing project to 300 MMcf/d with service expected in mid-2028, while securing additional Gulf Coast market access and maintaining leverage within its 3.5x–4.0x target range. Kinetik NYSE: KNTK reported what President and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Welch described as the strongest financial results in the company’s history for the second quarter of 2026, citing operating execution, system performance and a supportive commodity-price environment. The company raised its full-year Adjusted EBITDA guidance by $70 million at the midpoint and increased its capital spending outlook as it prepares for continued customer activity across the Permian Basin. The company reported second-quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $281 million, distributable cash flow of $195 million and free cash flow of $105 million. Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Trevor Howard said Midstream Logistics Adjusted EBITDA rose 35% from a year earlier to $205 million, while Pipeline Transportation Adjusted EBITDA was $83 million. Processed natural gas volumes were 1.74 billion cubic feet per day during the quarter, flat from a year earlier despite an estimated 250 million cubic feet per day of Waha-price-related production curtailments. Howard said results benefited from operating performance, improved NGL recoveries and condensate yields, optimization efforts, and favorable commodity prices and spreads. Guidance Raised on Volume, Commodity and Operating Expectations Kinetik increased its full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA forecast to $1.04 billion to $1.1 billion. At the midpoint, the revised outlook is 7% above the company’s original February forecast and represents approximately 15% year-over-year pro forma growth after accounting for the divestiture of its EPIC Crude interest, according to Howard. Management identified four drivers for the revised outlook: Improved volume expectations as Waha pricing normalized and curtailed production returned faster than anticipated. More favorable commodity-price assumptions, including nearly 30% higher WTI pricing and nearly 20% higher liquids pricing versus assumptions used in February guidance. Continued system operating improvements, including plant and compression runtimes, NGL recoveries and condensate yields. Outperformance in Pipeline Transportation, supported by basin activity, higher throughput and healthy pipeline margins. Kinetik now expects mid- to high-single-digit year-over-year volume growth in 2026, compared with its previous expectation for low- to mid-single-digit growth. The company anticipates average curtailments of roughly 25 million cubic feet per day during the second half, compared with the estimated 250 million cubic feet per day curtailed during the second quarter. Howard said Kinetik expects to exit 2026 with processed gas volumes approaching 2.2 billion cubic feet per day, with no fourth-quarter curtailments assumed. He clarified during the question-and-answer session that the 2.2 Bcf/d figure represents a fourth-quarter average. Kinetik expects third-quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $260 million to $270 million and fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $270 million to $280 million. Capa...