3 High-Yield Energy Stocks Worth Buying for the Income -- and Holding for the Gains

For investors seeking high dividend yields and steady income streams, the midstream energy space remains one of the best areas to invest. While energy stocks have been hot given the rise in oil prices due to the conflict with Iran, pipeline stocks can provide a much more stable way to play the sector over the long term.

These companies are largely energy toll rolls with generally fee-based contracts, meaning that spikes and dips in energy prices often have a minimal direct impact on their results or ability to pay distributions. This gives them great visibility into future cash flows, making them attractive investments for investors seeking high yields and higher future payouts.

Let's look at three master limited partnerships (MLPs) with high yields that are growing their distributions and have the potential for solid stock gains in the years ahead.

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1. Energy Transfer: An AI winner

Energy Transfer (NYSE: ET) is a great combination of a stock with a high yield and solid growth prospects. It currently yields 7% and offers some of the best growth opportunities in the space.

The company has one of the largest integrated midstream systems in the U.S., and it is particularly well positioned in the Permian Basin, which is not only North America's most prolific oil basin, but it also has some of the cheapest natural gas in the country.

Energy Transfer has two major projects to take natural gas away from the basin, and data center operators and utilities are increasingly turning to it to supply natural gas to help power artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. This gives the company a long runway of high-return growth projects.

2. MPLX: A double-digit distribution grower

MPLX (NYSE: MPLX) stock has a 7.8% yield and has been growing its distribution quickly. It's increased its payout by 10% or more each of the past four years, including by 12.5% in 2025. Meanwhile, it has said it plans to grow its distribution at a similar rate in 2026 and 2027.

The company operates a crude and products logistics business, where it owns crude and product pipelines, as well as terminals that support its parent, refiner Marathon Petroleum. This is its largest business offering steady fee-based cash flows. Meanwhile, its natural gas and NGL (natural gas liquids) operations are set to be its biggest growth driver in the coming years. The company made several acquisitions last year, and about 90% of its growth capital expenditures (capex) are being directed toward this segment as it looks to strengthen its position in Texas and along the Gulf Coast.

MPLX is in growth mode, having raised its growth capex to $2.4 billion this year from $2 billion in 2025. That's a big jump from the under $1 billion it recorded each of the past three years. This makes the stock another solid combination of high yield and growth.

3. Enterprise Products Partners: Mr. Consistency

If your biggest objective is finding a high-yield stock with a consistent track record of increasing its distributions, look no further than Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD). The company has raised its payout for 27 straight years through all types of periods of energy and economic stress. The company is conservative in nature and is actually cutting back on its capex this year.

However, it is set to complete several projects in 2026, which it says will help lead to double-digit adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and cash flow growth in 2027. The stock currently has a 5.8% yield and is growing its distribution at about a 3% annual clip. While this year is a bit of a transition year for the company, this is a sleep-well-at-night type of stock you can own for the long term.

Geoffrey Seiler has positions in Energy Transfer and Enterprise Products Partners. The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.