Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) Upgraded to Hold at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Wednesday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research analysts have also commented on WMB. Mizuho raised Williams Companies to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 27th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Williams Companies in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Williams Companies from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on Williams Companies from $72.00 to $70.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price objective on Williams Companies from $69.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $68.64.

Williams Companies Price Performance

Shares of WMB opened at $67.47 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a current ratio of 0.42 and a quick ratio of 0.36. Williams Companies has a 1-year low of $51.58 and a 1-year high of $68.94. The stock has a market cap of $82.40 billion, a PE ratio of 34.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.65. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $61.74 and a 200 day moving average price of $60.30.

Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 3rd. The pipeline company reported $0.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.51 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $2.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.87 billion. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 16.74% and a net margin of 20.61%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.43 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Williams Companies will post 2.08 EPS for the current year.

Williams Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Investors of record on Friday, March 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.525 per share. This is a boost from Williams Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 108.25%.

Insider Transactions at Williams Companies

In other Williams Companies news, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 4,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.53, for a total value of $242,120.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 302,645 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,319,101.85. This trade represents a 1.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders sold a total of 8,000 shares of company stock valued at $498,700 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.44% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Williams Companies

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Towne Trust Company N.A lifted its position in shares of Williams Companies by 60.2% during the 4th quarter. Towne Trust Company N.A now owns 431 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the period. Private Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its stake in Williams Companies by 104.8% in the 2nd quarter. Private Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 469 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Hartford Funds Management Co LLC acquired a new stake in Williams Companies during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. WHI TRUST Co LLC acquired a new stake in Williams Companies during the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in Williams Companies during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. 86.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Williams Companies

Here are the key news stories impacting Williams Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies raised its price target to $76 and kept a Buy rating, providing a clear buy‑side catalyst and signaling stronger upside vs. recent levels. Jefferies Boosts PT to $76
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks and other previews point to expected Q4 earnings growth and the potential for an earnings beat on Feb. 10, which can lift the stock ahead of the report. WMB to Report Q4 Results: Wall Street Expects Earnings Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Weather and gas‑storage draws (EIA data showing a large reduction in lower‑48 nat‑gas inventories after Winter Storm Fern) have supported natural gas prices and volumes—a tailwind for midstream throughput and Williams’ revenue. EIA: Natural Gas Stocks Update
• Positive Sentiment: Company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.525 (annualized $2.10, ~3.1% yield), which is supportive for income‑oriented investors and helps justify higher valuation multiples. MarketBeat WMB Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts’ consensus price target sits near $68.29 — essentially in line with the current trading level — indicating mixed expectations across the Street. Average Price Target $68.29
• Negative Sentiment: US Capital Advisors issued mixed revisions: they raised Q1 2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts (Q1 to $0.61; FY2027 to $2.49) but trimmed several FY2026 quarterly estimates and slightly cut FY2026 EPS — a near‑term downgrade that can temper optimism about 2026 earnings. US Capital Advisors Has Negative View of WMB FY2026 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: an SVP sold 2,000 shares (~$66.39 avg), a small but visible transaction that some investors view as a negative signal. SEC Form 4 filing is available. SEC Form 4

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.