Following the collapse in oil and gas prices that started in 2014, master limited partnerships — popular due to their stable, growing cash distributions — initially remained resilient. But by the second half of 2015, MLPs also began to suffer. Unit prices fell, a record number of MLPs cut distributions and most MLPs were shut out of the capital markets.
During 2016, MLPs rebounded some as overall stock market performance was robust and oil prices improved and began to stabilize late last year around the $50 mark.
