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ET vs PAA
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Energy Transfer (ET) vs. Plains All American Pipeline (PAA) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Energy Transfer (ET) is a diversified midstream energy operator riding record natural gas liquids (NGL) export volumes and rising data-center gas demand, while Plains All American Pipeline (PAA) has refocused into a pure-play crude oil midstream business.
- Both names have posted strong year-to-date gains, but ET has delivered faster momentum, including two full-year guidance increases and roughly 31% adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) growth in its most recent quarter.
- PAA used a Canadian NGL divestiture to cut roughly $2.9 billion of debt, lowering leverage to the low end of its target range, but its growth story is more concentrated in crude oil logistics.
- Tickeron AI Verdict: Based on trend consistency, breadth of catalysts, and relative positioning, the AI would currently favor Energy Transfer (ET) over Plains All American Pipeline (PAA).
- For more detail on each company's headlines and daily action, explore ET Major News and ET Today's Price Move, plus PAA Major News and PAA Today's Price Move.
- To see how automated strategies are positioning across this sector, explore the Trending AI Robots page.
Introduction
Investors comparing ET and PAA are weighing two different paths through the same North American energy midstream sector. ET offers diversified exposure across natural gas, NGLs, and crude oil, while PAA has narrowed its focus to crude oil transportation, storage, and logistics. Both are master limited partnerships (MLPs) — structures that pass most of their cash flow to unitholders — which makes this comparison especially relevant for income-oriented investors and traders seeking high-yield, fee-based cash flows with distinct risk profiles.
ET Overview and Recent Performance
ET, or Energy Transfer, is one of the largest and most diversified midstream operators in North America, spanning natural gas, NGL, and crude oil pipelines, processing, and export infrastructure. In recent weeks, the company has benefited from record NGL transportation and export volumes, expanded natural gas takeaway capacity, and growing demand from power generation and artificial intelligence data centers.
In its most recent quarterly report, ET posted adjusted EBITDA up roughly 31% year over year and raised its full-year outlook for the second time, with distributable cash flow also climbing sharply. Management has continued to lift its distribution, extending a long streak of consecutive quarterly increases, while announcing a multi-billion-dollar acquisition to deepen its position in the resource-rich Delaware Basin. The units have traded near multi-year highs, supported by these catalysts and a distribution yield in the mid-6% range.
PAA Overview and Recent Performance
PAA, or Plains All American Pipeline, has repositioned itself as a premier pure-play crude oil midstream provider. The company completed the sale of its Canadian NGL business, using the proceeds to repay roughly $2.9 billion of debt and bring leverage toward the low end of its target range. This has simplified the business and strengthened the balance sheet.
Operationally, PAA has seen strong crude oil segment performance, including record Gulf Coast export volumes, and has raised its growth capital budget to fund a capital-efficient expansion of its Cactus III pipeline. Management reaffirmed full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance and highlighted meaningful expected free cash flow, while its distribution yields roughly 7%. Recent market activity has shown relative steadiness as investors weigh the company's deleveraging progress against its more concentrated crude oil exposure.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron's Trending AI Robots page showcases a curated selection of automated trading strategies from a broader library of hundreds of AI trading bots spanning thousands of tickers. Each bot operates with its own trading style, timeframe, performance history, and set of underlying securities, so only those best suited to current market conditions earn a place in this rotating selection. The page highlights measurable statistics — including win rates, trade counts, and return figures — that can help traders compare strategies at a glance. Whether you are evaluating income-focused MLPs like ET and PAA or scanning the broader market, exploring the Trending AI Robots page offers a data-driven starting point for your research.
Head-to-Head Comparison
The clearest contrast between these two names is diversification versus focus. ET spans natural gas, NGLs, and crude oil, giving it multiple demand drivers — including data-center gas demand, NGL exports, and power generation — but also a larger, more capital-intensive project backlog and a heavier debt load. PAA is more concentrated in crude oil logistics, which ties its performance more directly to Permian production volumes and crude export trends.
On financial positioning, PAA has made notable progress deleveraging after its divestiture, while ET has prioritized growth capital spending alongside steady distribution increases. In terms of relative performance, ET has shown stronger recent momentum and more frequent upward guidance revisions, whereas PAA offers a slightly higher yield and a cleaner balance sheet profile. Risk factors differ accordingly: ET faces execution and leverage considerations, while PAA faces concentration risk tied to crude oil fundamentals.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, breadth of growth catalysts, and relative positioning, Tickeron's AI would currently lean toward ET over PAA. ET combines multiple demand tailwinds — NGL exports, power generation, and data-center gas consumption — with repeated guidance increases and sustained distribution growth, suggesting a broader and more durable catalyst set. PAA remains a well-positioned, deleveraged operator, but its concentrated crude oil focus and more measured near-term growth profile currently make it the secondary choice. This assessment reflects a probabilistic reading of recent data rather than a definitive forecast.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is ET is a Hold and PAA is a StrongBuy.
ET's RSI Indicator recovers from oversold territory
The RSI Oscillator for ET moved out of oversold territory on October 01, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from a downward trend to an upward trend. Traders may want to buy the stock or call options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 12 similar instances when the indicator left oversold territory. In 9 of the 12 cases the stock moved higher. This puts the odds of a move higher at 75%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 28, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on ET as a result. In 54 of 90 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 60%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for ET just turned positive on October 23, 2026. Looking at past instances where ET's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 32 of 55 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 58%.
Following a +0.97% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where ET advanced for three days, in 194 of 360 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 54%.
ET may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 5 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
ET moved below its 50-day moving average on November 02, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
The 10-day moving average for ET crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on September 28, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In 4 of 13 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 31%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where ET declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 39%.
The Aroon Indicator for ET entered a downward trend on October 27, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 8 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 42, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 34 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to consistent earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 39 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (2.038) is normal, around the industry mean (160.809). P/E Ratio (14.128) is within average values for comparable stocks, (7.393). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.613) is also within normal values, averaging (13.660). Dividend Yield (0.065) settles around the average of (149858533376.000) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.679) is also within normal values, averaging (4.657).
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 43 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. ET’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 58 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating slightly weaker than average sales and a marginally profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
PAA in +1.23% Uptrend, advancing for three consecutive days on October 30, 2026
Moving higher for three straight days is viewed as a bullish sign. Keep an eye on this stock for future growth. Considering data from situations where PAA advanced for three days, in 253 of 374 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 68%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 13, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on PAA as a result. In 51 of 77 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 66%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for PAA just turned positive on October 12, 2026. Looking at past instances where PAA's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 30 of 47 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 64%.
PAA moved above its 50-day moving average on October 13, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for PAA crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 20, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 10 of 18 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 56%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 240 of 375 cases where PAA Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 64%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for PAA moved out of overbought territory on November 02, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 58 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 28 of the 58 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 48%.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 15 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
PAA broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 23, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 2 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 42, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 38 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. PAA’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 39 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 47 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (1.635) is normal, around the industry mean (160.809). P/E Ratio (7.111) is within average values for comparable stocks, (7.393). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (2.352) is also within normal values, averaging (13.660). Dividend Yield (0.065) settles around the average of (149858533376.000) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.343) is also within normal values, averaging (4.657).
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 95 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
ET | PAA | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 27 | 47 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 39 Fair valued | 47 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 8 | 2 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 58 | 39 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 43 | 38 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 34 | 95 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 65 | 65 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
ET's Valuation (39) in the Oil And Gas Pipelines industry is in the same range as PAA (47). This means that ET’s stock grew similarly to PAA’s over the last 12 months.
PAA's Profit vs Risk Rating (2) in the Oil And Gas Pipelines industry is in the same range as ET (8). This means that PAA’s stock grew similarly to ET’s over the last 12 months.
PAA's SMR Rating (39) in the Oil And Gas Pipelines industry is in the same range as ET (58). This means that PAA’s stock grew similarly to ET’s over the last 12 months.
PAA's Price Growth Rating (38) in the Oil And Gas Pipelines industry is in the same range as ET (43). This means that PAA’s stock grew similarly to ET’s over the last 12 months.
ET's P/E Growth Rating (34) in the Oil And Gas Pipelines industry is somewhat better than the same rating for PAA (95). This means that ET’s stock grew somewhat faster than PAA’s over the last 12 months.
| ET | PAA | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 75% | 1 day ago 48% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 36% | 1 day ago 46% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 60% | 1 day ago 66% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 64% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 38% | 1 day ago 50% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 54% | 1 day ago 64% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 54% | 5 days ago 68% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 15 days ago 39% | N/A |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 68% | 1 day ago 49% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 29% | 1 day ago 64% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
ET’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green while PAA’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- ET’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- PAA’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
ET’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while PAA’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s).
- ET’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- PAA’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 3 bearish.
Price Growth
ET (@Oil & Gas Pipelines) experienced а -1.26% price change this week, while PAA (@Oil & Gas Pipelines) price change was -2.89% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Oil & Gas Pipelines industry was -2.55%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -6.12%, and the average quarterly price growth was +0.65%.
Reported Earning Dates
ET is expected to report earnings on Nov 03, 2026.
PAA is expected to report earnings on Nov 06, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Oil & Gas Pipelines (-2.55% weekly)Oil & Gas Pipelines industry includes companies that transport natural gas and crude oil through pipelines. These companies also collect and market the fuels. The pipeline segment could be considered as a midstream operation – functioning as a link between the upstream and downstream operations in the oil and gas industry. Some of the largest U.S. pipeline players include Enterprise Products Partners L.P, TC Energy Corporation and Energy Transfer, L.P.
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ET and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, ET has been loosely correlated with OKE. These tickers have moved in lockstep 62% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if ET jumps, then OKE could also see price increases.
PAA and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, PAA has been closely correlated with PAGP. These tickers have moved in lockstep 96% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if PAA jumps, then PAGP could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To PAA | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAA | 100% | -3.17% | ||
| PAGP - PAA | 96% Closely correlated | -3.24% | ||
| AM - PAA | 77% Closely correlated | -2.79% | ||
| WES - PAA | 58% Loosely correlated | -2.71% | ||
| TRGP - PAA | 56% Loosely correlated | -6.43% | ||
| ET - PAA | 53% Loosely correlated | -2.73% | ||
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