Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI Quick QuoteKMI - Free Report) is set to beat earnings estimates when it reports second-quarter 2021 results on Jul 21.  

In the last reported quarter, the leading energy infrastructure company’s adjusted earnings per share of 60 cents beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 23 cents, thanks to higher contribution from Texas intrastate systems and the Tennessee Gas Pipeline during winter storm in February. Favorable conditions in the CO2 segment boosted the results. This was partially offset by lower demand for terminal assets and refined products.

Kinder Morgan’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate twice, missed on another occasion and met the same once in the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 42%. This is depicted in the graph below:

Let’s see how things have shaped up prior to this announcement.

Trend in Estimate Revision

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings per share of 19 cents has witnessed no revision over the past seven days. The estimated figure suggests a rise of 11.8% from the prior-year reported number.

The consensus estimate for second-quarter revenues of $2.96 billion indicates a 15.6% increase from the year-ago reported figure.

What the Quantitative Model Suggests

Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for Kinder Morgan this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat.

Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP for the company is currently +14.07%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at 22 cents per share, higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 19 cents. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.  

Zacks Rank: Kinder Morgan currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.

Factors Driving the Better-Than-Expected Earnings

As the North American market witnessed a rapid recovery in energy demand from last year’s historic downturn, the company is expected to have seen higher utilization of midstream infrastructure assets in the second quarter. Being a leading midstream energy firm, Kinder Morgan is likely to have generated stable fee-based revenues in the quarter from the gigantic natural gas transportation network that spreads across roughly 70,000 miles.

Its $2.2-billion Permian Highway Pipeline project started full commercial operations in the beginning of 2021 and transports additional daily natural gas volumes of roughly 2.1 billion cubic feet. This is expected to have led to a year-over-year rise in natural gas transportation to the U.S. Gulf Coast, thereby resulting in higher profit levels.

The Elba Island Liquefaction facility, wherein Unit 7 came online in the second half of last year, is expected to have boosted the company’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports year over year. With rising LNG demand in Asian economies, Kinder Morgan is expected to have earned higher fees from LNG exporting assets in the June quarter.

Other Stocks to Consider

Here are some other companies from the Energy space that you may also want to consider, as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in the upcoming quarterly reports:

EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG Quick QuoteEOG - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +5.31% and a Zacks Rank of 3. It is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Aug 4. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Hess Corporation (HES Quick QuoteHES - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +35.30% and is a Zacks #1 Ranked player. The company is scheduled to release second-quarter results on Jul 28.

Continental Resources, Inc. has an Earnings ESP of +10.61% and a Zacks Rank #1. The firm is scheduled to release quarterly earnings on Aug 2.