Empowered Funds LLC Acquires 86,020 Shares of Mplx Lp $MPLX

Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in Mplx Lp (NYSE:MPLX) by 65.4% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 217,494 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after buying an additional 86,020 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Mplx were worth $12,412,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MPLX. EQ Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Mplx during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Assetmark Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Mplx by 81.5% during the 1st quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 559 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 251 shares during the last quarter. Wiser Advisor Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Mplx during the 3rd quarter worth $38,000. Prosperity Bancshares Inc bought a new stake in shares of Mplx during the 4th quarter valued at $43,000. Finally, Groesbeck Investment Management Corp NJ bought a new stake in shares of Mplx during the 4th quarter valued at $49,000. 24.25% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MPLX has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $60.00 target price on shares of Mplx in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Wolfe Research downgraded Mplx from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Zacks Research raised Mplx from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, June 5th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Mplx from $63.00 to $61.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Mplx from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, April 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $61.60.

Mplx Stock Performance

MPLX opened at $57.77 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $56.64 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $56.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market cap of $58.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.51, a PEG ratio of 5.63 and a beta of 0.47. Mplx Lp has a 1-year low of $47.80 and a 1-year high of $60.00.

Mplx (NYSE:MPLX) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 5th. The pipeline company reported $0.90 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.05 by ($0.15). Mplx had a net margin of 36.38% and a return on equity of 32.74%. The firm had revenue of $2.86 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.09 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.10 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Mplx Lp will post 4.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Mplx Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be paid a $1.0765 dividend. This represents a $4.31 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 7th. Mplx’s dividend payout ratio is presently 93.29%.

Key Headlines Impacting Mplx

Here are the key news stories impacting Mplx this week:

• Positive Sentiment: MPLX declared a second-quarter cash distribution of $1.0765 per common unit, equivalent to $4.31 annually, payable Aug. 14 to unitholders of record Aug. 7. The sizable payout reinforces the stock’s appeal to income-focused investors. MPLX LP Announces Quarterly Distribution
• Positive Sentiment: An analyst article argues that MPLX’s growth could accelerate in the second quarter while maintaining its longer-term investment thesis, offering a constructive counterpoint to recent concerns about valuation and execution. MPLX: Growth Should Accelerate In Q2 With Long-Term Thesis Intact
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage highlights the affirmed distribution and the upcoming Aug. 4 earnings release as key events that could clarify MPLX’s cash-flow generation and capital-return outlook. Non-U.S. investors should also account for federal tax withholding on distributions. Will MPLX’s Affirmed Q2 2026 Payout Clarify Its Cash Flow and Capital Return Story?
• Neutral Sentiment: Another assessment says MPLX’s valuation is approaching fair value, potentially limiting near-term upside even as the new distribution keeps the stock attractive for yield-oriented holders. MPLX Draws Income Focus On New Distribution As Valuation Nears Fair Value
• Negative Sentiment: Wolfe downgraded MPLX, arguing that achieving management’s targets depends too heavily on investor confidence in management’s execution. The skepticism is a direct negative catalyst and may be contributing to the recent weakness. MPLX Downgraded at Wolfe

About Mplx

MPLX LP (NYSE: MPLX) is a midstream master limited partnership that owns, operates and develops energy infrastructure primarily across the United States. The company provides a range of midstream services including the gathering, transportation, storage and distribution of crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). MPLX also operates processing and fractionation facilities and supplies logistics services that connect producers, refiners and end-use markets.

The partnership’s asset base includes pipelines, storage terminals, rail and marine facilities, natural gas processing plants and NGL fractionators.