For the past decade-plus, the performance record has favored growth stocks over value. Yet the tide may be changing. In 2025, value stocks and growth stocks had similar returns, with growth advancing 13.8% and value returning 13.6%. More than halfway through 2026, value stocks have climbed 16.8% while growth stocks have returned 5.7%. The post COVID-19 economy gave a lift to some of the cyclical companies (energy and regional banks), and value stocks outpaced growth stocks that year. While growth stocks led for a few years after that, history has shown other instances where value stocks have outperformed. Value stocks tend to be more resilient in times of market uncertainty and higher volatility as they are less likely to overreact to economic news. Another factor, in our view, has been the level of interest rates. If interest rates are high, discount rates will be high, and future profits will be worth less, creating an unfavorable environment for growth stocks. In any event, the value sector is the place to achieve income.

Enterprise Products is a North American provider of midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil, refined products, and petrochemicals. The partnership's assets include over 50,000 miles of natural gas, NGL, refined product, and petrochemical pipelines; 260 million barrels of storage capacity for NGLs, refined products, and crude oil; and 14 billion cubic feet of natural-gas storage capacity. The company completed its IPO in July 1998. It is not a component of the S&P 500. EPD currently employs about 8,000 people.

The major indices are higher at midday, this at the start of a busy week. The July jobs report is due on Friday, capping off what will be the biggest week for earnings (by the number of reports), with roughly 1,600 U.S. public companies on the list. Meanwhile, the situation in Iran has taken a bit of a backseat, as it seems diplomacy may again be given a chance.

Enterprise Products Partners is a master limited partnership that transports and processes natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products, and petrochemicals. It is one of the largest midstream companies, with operations servicing most producing regions in the continental US. Enterprise is particularly dominant in the NGL market and is one of the few MLPs that provide midstream services across the full hydrocarbon value chain.