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Plains GP Holdings (PAGP)
NASDAQ:PAGP
US Market

Plains GP Holdings (PAGP) AI Stock Analysis

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PAGP

Plains GP Holdings

(NASDAQ:PAGP)

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Neutral 66 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:66Neutral
Price Target:
$25.00
â–²(8.32% Upside)
Action:DowngradedDate:02/07/26
The score reflects strong cash generation and a positive forward outlook (guidance, distribution growth, cost/synergy initiatives), supported by constructive price momentum. Offsetting these positives are a leveraged balance sheet and very thin net margins, with valuation mixed (high yield but a higher P/E).
Positive Factors
Strong cash generation
Consistently high operating and free cash flow provides durable internal funding for distributions, capex and debt reduction. Strong cash conversion (FCF ≈76% of net income TTM) supports resilience versus cyclical revenue swings and underpins medium-term capital allocation plans.
Clear guidance and distribution policy
Management provided explicit multi-year targets and a predictable payout framework, with guidance and a modest coverage reset that aligns distributions with projected free cash flow. This clarity improves planning, supports investor income expectations, and anchors capital return durability over 2–6 months.
Portfolio simplification and bolt-ons
Divesting NGLs while integrating accretive bolt-ons and capturing $50M of synergies narrows operational focus toward fee-based crude infrastructure, raising asset quality and margin resilience. Incremental storage and consolidation benefits are structural and should improve EBITDA durability over time.
Negative Factors
Elevated leverage
Leverage materially exceeds typical midstream targets, limiting financial flexibility and increasing interest expense sensitivity. Until NGL sale proceeds and refinancing materially lower ratios, high debt levels raise default risk and constrain ability to fund opportunistic investments or absorb prolonged volume shocks.
Thin net margins
Very low net margins mean small revenue or cost variances can wipe out earnings, reducing the buffer for sustaining distributions and deleveraging. The midstream cash model helps, but persistent thin margins keep earnings and distributable cash flows exposed to volume, tariff and commodity-route shifts.
Recontracting and flat volumes
Structural pressure from recontracting and stagnant basin volumes compresses long‑haul tariffs and utilization, eroding fee-based revenue over time. Persistently flat Permian throughput limits organic growth potential, making EBITDA reliant on M&A and cost cuts rather than volume-driven expansion.

Plains GP Holdings (PAGP) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Plains GP Holdings Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionPlains GP Holdings, L.P., through its subsidiary, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure in the United States and Canada. The company operates in two segments, Crude Oil and Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs). The company engages in the transportation of crude oil and NGLs on pipelines, gathering systems, and trucks. As of December 31, 2021, this segment owned and leased assets comprising 18,300 miles of crude oil and NGL pipelines and gathering systems; 38 million barrels of above-ground tank capacity; and 1,275 trailers. It engages in the provision of storage, terminalling, and throughput services primarily for crude oil, NGLs, and natural gas; NGL fractionation and isomerization services; and natural gas and condensate processing services. As of December 31, 2021, this segment owned and operated approximately 74 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity; 28 million barrels of NGL storage capacity; four natural gas processing plants; a condensate processing facility; nine fractionation plants; 16 NGL rail terminals; four marine facilities; and 110 miles of pipelines. As of December 31, 2021, this segment owned 15 million barrels of crude oil and 2 NGL linefill; 3 million barrels of crude oil and 1 NGL linefill in pipelines owned by third parties and other inventory; 640 trucks and 1,275 trailers; and 3,900 NGL railcars. The company offers logistics services to producers, refiners, and other customers. PAA GP Holdings LLC operates as a general partner of the company. Plains GP Holdings, L.P. was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
How the Company Makes MoneyPlains GP Holdings generates revenue primarily through its midstream services, which include the transportation of crude oil and natural gas liquids via pipelines and gathering systems. The company earns fees based on the volume of product transported and stored, which are typically structured as take-or-pay contracts, ensuring a stable revenue stream. Key revenue streams include transportation fees, storage fees, and terminal services. Additionally, PAGP benefits from long-term contracts with major oil and gas producers, providing a degree of revenue stability. The company also engages in joint ventures and partnerships with other companies in the energy sector, which can enhance its operational capabilities and expand its market reach, further contributing to its earnings.

Plains GP Holdings Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 06, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 01, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call presents a constructive and execution-focused outlook: strong recent results and clear 2026 guidance, active portfolio simplification (NGL divestiture), accretive bolt-ons (Cactus III synergies and Wild Horse storage), targeted $100M of cost savings, sustained distribution growth with a modest coverage reset, and sizable projected free cash flow support a positive near-to-medium-term outlook. Near-term headwinds include macro volatility, recontracting pressure on long-haul margins, weather-driven production disruptions, and a slight headline EBITDA drag from the NGL divestiture and elevated near-term leverage until proceeds are deployed to pay down debt.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Quarterly and Annual Adjusted EBITDA
Reported Q4 2025 adjusted EBITDA attributable to Plains of $738 million and full-year adjusted EBITDA of $2.833 billion, demonstrating solid underlying profitability.
2026 Adjusted EBITDA Guidance and Crude Segment Growth
Provided 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance of $2.75 billion at the midpoint (±$75M) with an oil segment EBITDA midpoint of $2.64 billion, implying ~13% year-over-year growth in the crude segment.
Distribution Increase and Yield
Announced a 10% increase in the quarterly distribution (annualized +$0.15 per unit) to $1.67 per unit, representing an ~8.5% yield on recent PAA equity price and targeted ongoing annualized distribution growth of $0.15 per unit.
Cost Savings and Efficiency Targets
Targeting $100 million of annual identified savings by end of 2027, with ~50% (~$50M) expected to be realized in 2026 through G&A and OpEx reductions, consolidation and exiting lower-margin businesses.
Cactus III Acquisition and Synergies
Acquired EPIC pipeline (renamed Cactus III); disclosed $50 million of synergies with roughly half already on run-rate and management expects to reach the $50M run-rate during the year to improve EBITDA and cash flow durability.
Free Cash Flow and Distribution Coverage Improvements
Forecasted approximately $1.8 billion of adjusted free cash flow for 2026 (excluding changes in working capital and NGL sale proceeds) and expect distributable cash flow to increase ~1% despite a slight headline EBITDA decline; lowered distribution coverage threshold from 160% to 150% to support multiyear distribution growth.
Strategic Bolt-Ons and Low-Cost Storage Acquisition
Completed bolt-on Wild Horse Terminal acquisition in Cushing for a net cash consideration of ~$10 million, adding ~4 million barrels of storage adjacent to existing terminals and expected to generate returns above internal thresholds.
Balance Sheet Actions and Deleveraging Plan
Issued $750 million of senior unsecured notes (2031 at 4.7% and 2036 at 5.6%), refinanced EPIC loan, and intend to use majority of NGL sale proceeds to reduce debt with leverage expected to trend toward the middle of the 3.25x–3.75x target range post-closing.
Safety Milestone
Achieved best-ever safety performance, recording the best TRIR safety rate and lowest severity of injuries measured by total lost workdays.
Negative Updates
Challenging Macro Environment
2025 operating environment included geopolitical unrest, OPEC actions increasing oil supply, and tariff-related uncertainty that pressured market fundamentals and contributed to volatility.
Headline EBITDA Impact from NGL Divestiture and Recontracting
Management expects a slight decline in headline EBITDA following the NGL divestiture and cited recontracting on long-haul systems as a partial offset to Q4 crude EBITDA, with recontracting pressure on long-haul margins.
NGL Segment Headwinds
Q4 NGL adjusted EBITDA was $122 million (seasonal uptick) but was moderated by warm weather impacts on sales volumes and relatively weak frac spreads; NGL divestiture reduces commodity exposure but reduces headline EBITDA contribution.
Near-Term Flat Permian Volumes
Management expects Permian crude production and overall basin volumes to be relatively flat in 2026 at ~6.6 million barrels per day versus 2025, deferring material growth until 2027.
Weather-Related Production Disruption
Recent back-to-back freezes caused a 7–10 day disruption, with the basin losing an estimated 10–12 million barrels of production during the event, temporarily reducing flows and volumes.
Potential Market & Differential Pressures from Venezuela Flows
Short-term influx of Venezuelan barrels into U.S. Gulf Coast widened Canadian and heavy-sour differentials, creating near-term margin and routing challenges and potential for wider Canadian differentials going forward.
Debt-Funded Acquisition and Capital Allocation Considerations
Cactus III acquisition (~$2.9 billion) was partially debt-funded (new notes and term loan), requiring NGL sale proceeds to reduce leverage; while planned, higher leverage near-term and interest costs (4.7%–5.6% on new notes) are execution risks until deleveraging completes.
Company Guidance
Plains guided 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $2.75 billion net to Plains at the midpoint (±$75 million), with oil‑segment EBITDA at a $2.64 billion midpoint (implying ~13% YOY crude growth), plus $100 million of NGL EBITDA and $10 million of other income; they expect Permian basin volumes roughly flat with about 6.6 million barrels/day at year‑end. Management forecast ~$350 million of growth CapEx and ~$165 million of maintenance CapEx (net to PAA) in 2026, roughly $1.8 billion of adjusted free cash flow (excluding changes in working capital and NGL sale proceeds), distributable cash flow up ~1% despite a modest headline EBITDA decline, and a potential special distribution of ≤ $0.15/unit after closing. They also expect $100 million of annual cost savings by 2027 (≈$50 million realized in 2026), $50 million of Cactus III synergies on run‑rate (about half captured in Q4), raised the quarterly distribution 10% to an annual $1.67/unit (a $0.15 lift, ~8.5% yield on recent PAA price), lowered the coverage threshold from 160% to 150%, plan to use NGL-sale proceeds to reduce debt, and aim to move leverage toward the middle of a 3.25–3.75x target range.

Plains GP Holdings Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Cash flow is a major strength (strong TTM operating cash flow and free cash flow with positive FCF growth), but overall financial quality is held back by very thin net margins and a highly leveraged balance sheet (elevated debt-to-equity), which increases downside risk in weaker volume/pricing environments.
Income Statement
64
Positive
TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) revenue declined (-5.1%), following uneven growth over the last several years. Profitability is positive but thin at the bottom line (TTM net margin ~0.4%), with mid-single-digit EBITDA margins (~5.9%) and moderate EBIT margins (~3.9%). Net income improved meaningfully versus 2024, but the earnings profile remains sensitive given low net margins and a history that includes a loss in 2020.
Balance Sheet
38
Negative
Leverage appears elevated, with a high debt-to-equity reading across the period (TTM ~7.2; 2024 ~5.9), which increases financial risk and reduces flexibility in a down-cycle. Returns on equity are positive (TTM ~13.8%), but the combination of high leverage and historically volatile profitability (including negative returns in 2020) keeps balance-sheet quality below average for stability.
Cash Flow
76
Positive
Cash generation is a clear strength: TTM operating cash flow is solid (~$2.9B) and free cash flow is strong (~$2.4B), with positive TTM free-cash-flow growth (+10.3%). Cash flow conversion is healthy (free cash flow is ~76% of net income in TTM), supporting funding capacity. The main watch-out is that operating cash flow covers only about half of reported earnings (TTM ~0.54), suggesting earnings quality can be uneven period-to-period despite strong absolute cash flow.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue44.26B50.07B48.71B57.34B42.08B
Gross Profit2.67B3.49B3.13B3.20B2.80B
EBITDA2.81B2.68B3.05B2.78B1.91B
Net Income260.00M103.00M198.00M168.00M60.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets31.28B27.76B28.60B29.21B29.98B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments329.00M349.00M453.00M404.00M456.00M
Total Debt11.49B7.93B8.03B8.82B9.64B
Total Liabilities17.06B13.44B13.63B14.57B15.80B
Stockholders Equity1.34B1.35B1.55B1.52B1.53B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow2.29B1.84B2.14B1.95B1.66B
Operating Cash Flow2.93B2.48B2.72B2.40B1.99B
Investing Cash Flow-3.36B-875.00M-702.00M-526.00M386.00M
Financing Cash Flow399.00M-1.70B-1.97B-1.93B-1.98B

Plains GP Holdings Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price23.08
Price Trends
50DMA
20.33
Positive
100DMA
18.86
Positive
200DMA
18.40
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.70
Negative
RSI
82.17
Negative
STOCH
94.16
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For PAGP, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 23.08 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 21.74, above the 50-day MA of 20.33, and above the 200-day MA of 18.40, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.70 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 82.17 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 94.16 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for PAGP.

Plains GP Holdings Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (65)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
78
Outperform
$15.09B12.8812.03%8.54%-7.53%9.74%
75
Outperform
$14.31B32.699.42%2.70%20.39%-3.85%
74
Outperform
$16.38B13.9831.82%9.13%5.81%-13.58%
74
Outperform
$10.80B26.6720.22%4.98%8.70%21.42%
73
Outperform
$8.20B13.7764.22%8.45%10.78%19.10%
66
Neutral
$17.58B20.688.61%8.03%-7.53%11.27%
65
Neutral
$15.17B7.614.09%5.20%3.87%-62.32%
* Energy Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
PAGP
Plains GP Holdings
23.08
4.35
23.22%
PAA
Plains All American
21.39
4.01
23.09%
WES
Western Midstream Partners
41.60
6.67
19.10%
AM
Antero Midstream
22.82
6.69
41.46%
HESM
Hess Midstream Partners
39.47
2.31
6.22%
DTM
DT Midstream
140.66
49.88
54.95%

Plains GP Holdings Corporate Events

Other
Plains GP Holdings Reports New Material Definitive Agreement
Neutral
Mar 3, 2026

The information provided from Plains GP Holdings is incomplete and does not contain any substantive details about the company’s specific announcement, operational changes, financial results, or strategic initiatives. As a result, it is not possible to determine the nature, timing, or implications of the news release for the company or its stakeholders based on the available text.

The most recent analyst rating on (PAGP) stock is a Hold with a $25.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Plains GP Holdings stock, see the PAGP Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyDividendsFinancial DisclosuresM&A Transactions
Plains GP Holdings Reports Strong 2025 Results, Raises Distribution
Positive
Feb 6, 2026

On February 6, 2026, Plains All American Pipeline and Plains GP Holdings reported strong fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, with net income attributable to Plains All American rising to $342 million for the quarter and $1.435 billion for the year, and adjusted EBITDA reaching $738 million and $2.833 billion, respectively, alongside an 18% year-on-year increase in operating cash flow to $2.94 billion. The group highlighted a year-end 2025 pro forma leverage ratio of 3.9x, recent refinancing and funding actions around the Cactus III acquisition, and the pending divestiture of its Canadian NGL business—now classified as discontinued operations—to sharpen its focus on crude oil infrastructure; it also issued 2026 guidance calling for roughly $2.75 billion in adjusted EBITDA, projected $1.8 billion in adjusted free cash flow, disciplined capital spending, and a 10% increase in its annualized distribution with a lower coverage threshold, signaling confidence in more predictable cash flows and continued capital returns to unitholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (PAGP) stock is a Buy with a $22.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Plains GP Holdings stock, see the PAGP Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 07, 2026