Brian, a caller from Pennsylvania, phoned in to Mad Money on August 13, 2026 with a stock his son had been researching. “My son has been following a stock that has over a 7% dividend yield, and they’ve historically raised the dividend every quarter,” he told Jim Cramer, before asking whether he should build a position in Hess Midstream (NYSE:HESM | HESM Price Prediction). Cramer’s verdict landed quickly: “I happen to like Hess Midstream. I happen to like the midstreams, especially Hess… I think you have a winner.”
The Caller’s Case
Brian built his question around two claims. The first was the yield: over a 7% dividend yield, as he described it on air. The second claim was more interesting: Brian said the company had “historically raised the dividend every quarter.” That assertion about a partnership public since 2017 holds up cleanly when checked against the record. Brian also flagged something Cramer glossed past: “Chevron happens to make up about 3.5% of my portfolio.”
What the Distribution Record Actually Shows
Hess Midstream pays quarterly distributions, and the dataset contains 37 records going back to 2017. Every payment in that series is larger than the one before it. There is no cut and no flat quarter anywhere in the progression, which runs from $0.2703 in 2017 to $0.7888 today.
The most recent distribution was declared July 27, 2026, went ex-dividend on August 6, 2026, and was paid today, August 14, 2026, at $0.7888 per share. The prior payout was $0.7792. Trailing twelve-month distributions total $3.0869, and the annualized forward figure sits at $3.1552. On the Q2 2026 call, CEO Jonathan Stein reiterated a “targeted 5% annual distribution growth, which we expect to continue.” Past distribution growth does not guarantee future distributions.
Cramer’s Answer and the Chevron Link
Cramer stated a preference for the midstream category and for Hess Midstream in particular. He also connected the dots on the customer relationship: “Hess was bought by Chevron, which is why they had the related Chevron.”
Chevron (NYSE:CVX) acquired Hess Corporation. Hess Midstream is a separate, publicly traded partnership that was not itself acquired. Its anchor customer is Hess Corporation, now inside Chevron. Midstream operators handle gathering, processing, transportation and storage of oil and gas rather than drilling for it, and revenue typically comes from fee-based contracts with producers, which is why they are often held for income. Chevron’s most recent Q2 2026 8-K filing confirmed the integration is well underway.
The Question Cramer Did Not Answer
Brian effectively asked two questions on that call, and Cramer answered the one about the stock. The other was buried in the setup: he already holds Chevron at about 3.5% of his portfolio, and he is considering adding a company whose principal customer relationship runs through Chevron.
A reader in a similar position might reasonably think about what that stacking looks like. Both names sit in energy. Both depend, to different degrees, on Chevron’s Bakken development pace and capital allocation choices. This is a consideration to weigh, not a criticism of Cramer’s view on the stock itself and not advice on what any particular investor should do.
Where the Stock Stands
Hess Midstream closed Thursday at $39.78, down 0.75% on the day. The units are up 22.58% year to date, from $32.45 at the end of 2025, up 2.62% over the past year from $38.77 on August 13, 2025, and up 137.7% over five years from $16.74 on August 13, 2021. Market capitalization sits at approximately $5.14 billion.
The Kicker
A distribution record that runs uninterrupted across 37 quarterly payments, with every payment larger than the one before, is unusual in any corner of the market. That is the part of Brian’s case that stands on its own regardless of whose verdict you find persuasive, and it is the part any prospective holder can verify without taking anyone’s word for it. This article is informational and not a recommendation on either stock.
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