** U.S. pipeline operator Kinder Morgan KMI.N posted a rise in third-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by higher volumes of natural gas transported through its pipelines
** Shares of the company were down 3.2% at $26.68
BROKERAGES SEE BACKLOG HEADWINDS OFFSET BY INCREASED DEMAND
** Jefferies ("Hold", PT: $30) says despite a strong Q3, investor attention should persist on unsanctioned backlog materializing
** TD Cowen ("Buy", PT: $34) says KMI's backlog includes mostly smaller projects, though a few large ones, which could mean a majority of the value associated with it is contingent on a few project wins
** RBC Capital Markets ("Sector Perform", PT: $28) says it believes KMI will benefit over the long term from increasing natural gas demand, driven by LNG export capacity growth and power-related demand
** UBS ("Buy", PT: $38) also says it sees KMI in a positive light owing to growing demand for natgas for both power needs and expansion of LNG facilities on the Gulf Coast
(Reporting by Pranav Mathur in Bengaluru)
((Pranav.Mathur@thomsonreuters.com;))