Rising LNG Exports and Power Demand to Benefit Kinder Morgan

Kinder Morgan KMI is a leading energy infrastructure company in North America. Its natural gas pipeline network transports nearly 40% of the U.S. natural gas production. The company owns and operates nearly 78,000 miles of pipelines, 136 terminals and more than 700 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of working natural gas storage capacity.

The rising demand for U.S. natural gas, supported by liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, is expected to benefit Kinder Morgan. In fact, the company has highlighted that its extensive natural gas transmission network will allow it to cater to the rising demand for U.S. LNG exports. KMI also added that more than 20% of its $10.1 billion project backlog is dedicated to serving the growing LNG demand. The company currently has long-term contracts to move 8 Bcf/d of natural gas to LNG facilities, and this is expected to surpass 12 Bcf/d by the end of 2028.

Additionally, the increased power generation needs driven by the shift from coal to gas and the expansion of data centers are creating an incremental demand for natural gas. Data centers utilize sophisticated servers that support high computational workloads for processing data and training models, which requires a significant amount of electricity. These demand trends align well with Kinder Morgan’s business model. Its extensive natural gas transmission network, a growing backlog of expansion projects and infrastructure positioned near key LNG export hubs should enable Kinder Morgan to benefit from the long-term growth in natural gas consumption in the United States.

Energy Sector Players to Benefit From Rising Natural Gas Demand

The rise of data centers and higher gas-fired power demand presents an opportunity for Enbridge Inc. ENB to capitalize on. Data centers require a huge amount of electricity, which is driving rapid growth in gas demand. The shift from coal to gas for power generation is increasing gas demand. Enbridge is expected to gain from the expansion of its natural gas storage facilities. ENB carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present.

Baker Hughes BKR is well-positioned to capitalize on the rapid growth in energy demand from data centers. In response to rising data center demand, the company is actively enhancing its capabilities through organic investments in this domain. With nearly $1 billion in data center-related orders registered in 2025, the company is working toward achieving its $3 billion target over the next three years. The rise in power demand is expected to drive energy-infrastructure investments, which, in turn, will contribute to higher demand for Baker Hughes’ IET offerings. BKR has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) at present.

KMI’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates

Shares of Kinder Morgan have jumped 15.3% over the past year compared with the 18.7% improvement of the composite stocks belonging to the industry.

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From a valuation standpoint, KMI trades at a trailing 12-month enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of 13.97X. This is below the broader industry average of 15.15X.

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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KMI’s 2026 earnings hasn’t seen any revisions over the past seven days.

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KMI currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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