Energy ETFs for a Volatile Market: Is a High Yield Midstream ETF or Diversified Infrastructure ETF the Better Buy for 2026?

The choice between Alerian MLP ETF (NYSEMKT:AMLP) and First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund (NYSEMKT:EMLP) likely hinges on whether an investor prioritizes concentrated midstream exposure and high yield or a diversified utilities-heavy infrastructure mix.

Energy infrastructure assets—ranging from natural gas pipelines to electric transmission lines—serve as the "toll roads" of the economy, often providing steady cash flows that appeal to income-seeking investors. Both funds target this critical sector but approach the asset class with different philosophies, leading to distinct risk-return profiles.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield as of the close of trading on July 22.

AMLP is slightly more expensive with a 1.01% expense ratio compared to 0.95% for EMLP. However, the Alerian fund offers a significantly higher payout, with a yield gap of nearly five percentage points over the First Trust fund.

Performance & risk comparison

What's inside

Alerian MLP ETF concentrates on the energy sector, which accounts for all of its portfolio, split 96% in energy stocks and 2% in utilities. Its largest positions include Sunoco LP (NYSE:SUN) at 13.6%, Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET) at 13.3%, and MPLX MP (NYSE:MPLX) at 13%. It holds 14 positions, plus some cash. Launched in 201, the fund has paid $4.02 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent $54.82 share price works out to a 7.76% yield.

First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund provides broader exposure, with 47% in utilities and 47% in energy, plus 5% in industrials. Its largest positions include Energy Transfer LP at 7.3%, Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD) at 7%, and Treasury bills through an institutional account with Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), essentially a cash position. It holds 65 positions. Launched in 2012, the fund has paid ~$1.21 per share over the trailing 12 months, which on its recent $44.64 share price works out to a 2.79% yield. It also employs an ESG screen as part of its investment process.

Which fund is the better buy?

MLPs — master limited partnerships — are a common structure for midstream oil and gas businesses. The structure means that MLPs don’t pay taxes, instead handing the tax bill to investors who receive distributions. Investing directly means handling K-1 forms for each MLP, which is a time-consuming and sometimes confusing tax-time hassle.

These two ETFs simplify investing in MLPs by handling the accounting and sending shareholders a single 1099 for tax filing. It’s simpler for sure. The expense ratios for each include an allowance for the ETF’s estimated tax liability, which it will incur in the future because it will not pass along the full tax liability to ETF holders. That’s a drag on returns, but you know that going in, and it’s reflected in historical performance for both funds. Using the Alerian ETF as an example, the future tax liability expense is currently 0.17% of the fund’s 1.01% expense ratio. That is likely to grow over time as the fund collects more distributions and tax liability.

So how to differentiate between these ETFs? The First Trust ETF, EMLP, takes a more concentrated approach to investing in midstream assets, with just 14 equities, which means 99.9% of its holdings are in its top 10 stocks, compared with 47% for AMLP.

But a concentrated approach does not necessarily mean a bad one. Witness EMLP’s much lesser maximum drawdown compared to AMLP. That shows shrewd portfolio management by the index and the fund managers. That shows itself in the performance, when EMLP beats AMLP in most time frames.

EMLP has returned 21%, 16.1%, and 9.9% over the 3-, 5-, and 10-year look-backs. By comparison, AMLP returned an annualized 18.9% in the 3-year and 6.4% in the 10-year to trail EMLP in those time frames. However, AMLP did better than its competitor in the 5-year time frame, with a return of 16.3% annually.

For investors looking for a midstream energy play, EMLP is the better buy.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

Brendan Coffey has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.