For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL –April 8, 2013 – Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights Features: JPMorgan Alerian MLP Index ETN (AMJ), UBS E-TRACS Alerian MLP Infrastructure ETN (MLPI) and Credit Suisse Cushing 30 MLP Index ETN (MLPN).

Boost Growth & Income with MLP ETFs

MLPs represent an attractive investment option for income-focused investors in the current rock-bottom interest rate environment. In addition to high yields, MLPs have relatively stable cash flows and solid growth potential. No wonder they have surged in popularity in recent years.

Why Invest in MLPs?

Most MLPs are in involved in processing and transportation of energy commodities such as natural gas, crude oil, and refined products,under long term contracts.

As such they have relatively consistent and predictable cash flows, unlike exploration and production (E&P) companies, whose profits are highly correlated with commodity prices.

As MLPs are structured as pass-through entities—they do not pay taxes at the entity level and are thus are able to pay out most of their earnings to investors. (Read: 3 Excellent ETFs for Income Investors)

Further, MLPs have low correlations with many other asset classes including equities and commodities and thus add diversification benefits to the portfolios.

As the energy industry continues to evolve and grow with revolutionary developments in the field of unconventional energy, MLPs represent a great way to benefit from the growth.

Tax Issues

MLPs come with complicated tax issues and many investors avoid investing in them only due to daunting tax requirements. MLPs issue complicated K-1s and further, since the pipelines run through several states, the investors may be required to file tax returns for all those states, in some cases.

Thankfully for the investors, some of the tax complexities can be avoided by owning them in ETP form. The payouts by the ETPs are reported as ordinary income on Form 1099, and therefore the K-1 forms are not required. (Read: Retire Early with these Dividend ETFs)

Below we have highlighted three popular MLP ETNs.

JPMorgan Alerian MLP Index ETN (AMJ)

AMJ is the most popular ETN in the MLP space with about $5.7 billion in assets under management and daily volume over 1.2 million shares.

Launched in April 2009, this ETN is based on the Alerian MLP Index, which tracks the performance of 50 largest companies in the energy MLP sector.

The note charges investors 85 basis points a year in fees for its services and pays out an attractive yield of 4.6% currently.

The investors should note that the ETNs are subject to maximum issuance limit and this ETN stopped issuing new notes in June 2012. Investors who buy this ETF at a premium to its NAV incur the risk of loss in case they sell when the premium is no longer present. However as of now, the ETN is trading close to its NAV.