Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) Posts Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.02 EPS

Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) posted its earnings results on Tuesday. The pipeline company reported $0.55 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.57 by ($0.02), Briefing.com reports. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 16.74% and a net margin of 20.61%.During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.47 EPS. Williams Companies updated its FY 2026 guidance to 2.200-2.380 EPS.

Williams Companies Stock Up 2.8%

Shares of NYSE:WMB traded up $1.88 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $69.73. The stock had a trading volume of 2,631,120 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,675,520. Williams Companies has a 12 month low of $51.58 and a 12 month high of $71.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $61.99 and its 200-day simple moving average is $60.47. The company has a market cap of $85.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.63, a PEG ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.65.

Williams Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be issued a $0.525 dividend. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. This is a boost from Williams Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. Williams Companies’s payout ratio is currently 103.09%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on WMB shares. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Williams Companies from $71.00 to $76.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Williams Companies in a report on Monday, December 29th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $72.00 to $70.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Williams Companies in a report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price target on Williams Companies from $69.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Williams Companies presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $68.64.

Insider Transactions at Williams Companies

In other Williams Companies news, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.39, for a total value of $132,780.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 293,545 shares in the company, valued at $19,488,452.55. This trade represents a 0.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders have sold 8,000 shares of company stock worth $498,700 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.44% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Williams Companies

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of WMB. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Williams Companies during the 3rd quarter worth about $46,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. grew its stake in Williams Companies by 99.7% in the 2nd quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 767 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 383 shares during the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Williams Companies by 24.0% in the 2nd quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 2,015 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $126,000 after acquiring an additional 390 shares during the period. Ancora Advisors LLC lifted its position in Williams Companies by 17.2% during the third quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 2,277 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $144,000 after acquiring an additional 334 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Johnson Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 223.3% during the third quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,593 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $164,000 after acquiring an additional 1,791 shares during the period. 86.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Williams Companies

Williams Companies, Inc (NYSE: WMB) is a U.S.-based energy infrastructure company focused on the midstream segment of the natural gas value chain. The company develops, owns and operates assets that gather, process, transport and store natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). Its operations support the movement of gas from production areas to end users including utilities, power generators, industrial customers and export facilities.

Williams’s product and service offering includes interstate and intrastate pipeline transmission, gas-gathering systems, processing facilities that remove impurities and separate NGLs, storage services and fractionation and transportation of NGL products.