Finance

BofA bets on energy infrastructure for risk-adjusted income

Bank of America is pitching energy infrastructure as a ballast play in a volatile oil backdrop. Jared Woodard says master limited partnerships offer a true win/win in both bull and bear oil scenarios, backed by stable, fee-based cash flows.

BofA bets on energy infrastructure for risk-adjusted income

Key Takeaways

  • MLPs yield around 3% and trade below historical averages.
  • TPYP yields about 3.3%; ML PX yields about 4.1%.
  • Energy Transfer (ET) yields ~7.1% and is up ~14% in 2026.
  • A 3-name shortlist in energy infrastructure can diversify a volatile oil portfolio.
  • MLPs use Schedule K-1 tax reporting, which can affect timing for investors.

People Involved

  • Jared Woodard Investment & ETF Strategist, Bank of America

Entities Involved

  • Bank of America Corp. (BoA) Financial services firm behind the call
  • Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund (TPYP) MLP-focused yield fund
  • Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF (MLPX) Energy infrastructure ETF
  • Energy Transfer LP (ET) Energy infrastructure company with high dividend yield
  • Oracle Corporation Technology partner powering ET data centers
  • CloudBurst Data Centers Data-center operator partnering with ET

MarketMoodz Analysis

In a market defined by sharp oil-price swings, the BoA note frames energy infrastructure as a source of steady, fee-based cash flows that can support income even as oil direction shifts. The emphasis on MLPs and related pipelines highlights a strategy built around predictable tolls and long-lived assets, with elevated current yields to compensate for volatility.

Historically, energy infrastructure has offered a different risk/return profile from traditional stocks and bonds, trading at times with higher yields but tax complexity (Schedule K-1). The 2026 year-to-date gains for TPYP and ML PX near the 20% mark, alongside Energy Transfer’s 14% rise, illustrate how an income-focused tilt can outperform in a volatile energy cycle while still carrying sanctions- and supply-disruption risks. Look for oil-price moves, sanctions developments, and LNG-market shifts to drive the thesis in the near term.

What to watch next includes how Qatar’s LNG shutdown (if confirmed) could ease a near-term LNG glut and bolster U.S. LNG demand into 2027, the pace of oil-price moves, and any changes to tax reporting requirements that affect MLP ownership.

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