Five dividend payers ranging from pipeline giants to a consumer staples icon promise real cash backing their payouts, but coverage varies wildly and one name barely covers its distribution at all. Knowing which yields come with the widest safety margin…
Income investors heading into the final weeks of 2026 need payouts backed by real cash. The five names below share that feature: four run cash-heavy infrastructure (three pipeline operators and a global package network), and the fifth is a consumer-staples giant that adds stability. Coverage leads each one. Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD | EPD Price Prediction), for example, produced operational distributable cash flow of $2.3 billion in the second quarter, covering its cash distribution 1.9x. Yields on this list run from 2.91% to 6.73%, and the safety read gets more conservative as yields rise.
Enterprise Products Partners: Near-6% Yield With Almost Double Coverage
Enterprise Products Partners yields 5.99% on a trailing basis. Its forward annualized distribution is $2.24 per unit, and units traded at $36.76 in early trading. The timing works for a November income list: the next $0.56 distribution goes ex on October 30, 2026, and pays on November 13, 2026.
Dividend safety: This is the strongest coverage on the list. Second-quarter operational DCF covered the distribution 1.9x. Enterprise paid out $1.2 billion to unitholders and kept $1.1 billion. Trailing distributions equal about 76.6% of trailing earnings per unit of $2.88. The payment record shows a higher distribution every year since 2019, and recent increases have come twice a year: the latest quarterly payout of $0.56 compares with $0.545 a year earlier. Management also has a $5.0 billion buyback authorization and bought back $405 million of units over the trailing 12 months.
Bull case: Second-quarter adjusted EBITDA hit a record $2.83 billion, up 17% year over year, on record pipeline volumes of 14.7 MMBPD. Another $6.5 billion of organic projects is under construction, including an LPG export terminal expansion due by the end of 2026 and new Permian gas plants. At about 12x forward earnings, it is also the cheapest midstream name here.
Risk: Enterprise is a limited partnership, so holders receive K-1 tax forms instead of 1099s, which complicates taxes and IRA ownership. Total debt is $34.2 billion, and Wall Street is mixed: 12 analysts rate it a hold, compared with 10 buy or strong-buy ratings.
Kinder Morgan: Gas Pipeline Cash Flow Running Ahead of Budget
Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) yields 3.52%. Its quarterly dividend is $0.2975, which annualizes to $1.19. Shares stood at $34.38 in early trading, up 28.66% year to date, and the stock outperformed its peers in Wednesday’s session, according to MarketWatch.
Dividend safety: Second-quarter free cash flow of $978 million covered the quarterly dividend bill of roughly $662 million about 1.5x. Trailing dividends equal about 72.8% of trailing EPS of $1.62. The balance sheet is strengthening. Moody’s upgraded Kinder Morgan to Baa1, and second-quarter leverage was improving toward 3.6x, below the 3.8x year-end budget. The dividend has gone up every year since 2018, when the quarterly payout rose from $0.125 to $0.20.
Bull case: In the second quarter, Kinder Morgan was tracking more than 5% ahead of its EBITDA budget and more than 12% ahead on adjusted EPS. The $9.6 billion project backlog is 92% natural gas, and more than 60% supports power generation and local distribution demand. That positions it to benefit as data centers and LNG exports pull more gas through its pipes.
Risk: Dividend growth is slow. The 2026 raise was 2%, and after this year’s rally, the stock trades at about 20x forward earnings (20). Investors are paying a fuller price for a small raise.
Williams Companies: Lowest Yield, Fastest-Growing Payout
Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) has the lowest yield in this group at 2.91%. It earns its spot through payout growth. The 2026 annualized dividend was raised 5% to $2.10 per share, paid as a quarterly $0.525. Shares traded at $73, up 24.09% year to date.
Dividend safety: GAAP earnings make the payout look extended. Trailing dividends equal about 81.7% of EPS. Cash flow coverage is much stronger. Management’s 2026 AFFO guidance of $6.085 billion to $6.315 billion covers the roughly $2.57 billion annual dividend about 2.4x even at the low end. Williams cut its payout in 2016, when the quarterly amount fell to $0.20, and has raised it every year since 2017.
Bull case: Williams moves about one-third of the country’s natural gas, anchored by Transco. It raised 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance to a $8.4 billion midpoint and lifted its long-term growth target. The CEO said Williams is “increasing our long-term EBITDA growth rate target to 11-plus percent compound annual growth through 2030.” Gulf Coast LNG demand is projected to rise by about 20 Bcf/d over the next 10 years, and the first phase of the Socrates power project is already delivering 200 megawatts. Analysts agree: 22 rate it buy or strong buy, with only 2 holds.
Risk: Leverage. The Momentum Midstream acquisition of up to $5.5 billion and growth capex of $7.3 billion to $7.9 billion push run-rate leverage to about 3.75x. The CFO said the balance sheet “leverage tightness is primarily an issue for ’26 and ’27.” At about 27x forward earnings, the stock leaves little room for stumbles.
PepsiCo: Decades of Raises at a Discounted Price
PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) yields 4.35%. Its quarterly dividend is $1.48, or $5.92 annualized. The yield is high for PepsiCo because the stock is down 7.38% over the past year and has moved just 0.2% over five years.
Dividend safety: Trailing dividends equal about 73% of trailing EPS of $7.95. Net debt is 2.60 times EBITDA, and interest coverage is 10.26. Management plans $7.9 billion of dividends in 2026 out of $8.9 billion in total cash returns. The payment record shows higher annual dividends every year back to 1999, when the quarterly payout was $0.135.
Bull case: International sales are offsetting a soft U.S. snack business. Third-quarter organic revenue rose 3.1%, Latin America Foods grew 14%, and Asia Pacific Foods grew 10%. Adjusted EPS of $2.34 beat estimates for the 4th straight quarter. At about 15x forward earnings, investors get a cash-rich defensive company at a price well below its $166.41 52-week high.
Risk: Coverage from free cash flow is thin. PepsiCo’s FCF yield of 4.18% sits almost on top of its 4.16% dividend yield. Management also cut 2026 core EPS growth guidance to 2.5-3.5%, and core operating profit at the North America foods unit fell 12%. Future dividend increases are likely to be small until that business recovers.
United Parcel Service: Ultra-High-Yield Payout as the Turnaround Takes Hold
United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) is the only ultra-high-yield name here, at 6.73%. Its quarterly dividend is $1.64, annualized at $6.56, and shares trade at $99.41. The stock is up 20.39% over the past year but remains 38.24% below its level five years ago.
Dividend safety: This is the closest coverage on the list, and UPS sits last for that reason. Trailing dividends equal about 122% of GAAP EPS of $5.38, which was weighed down by transformation charges. Against 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of about $7.22, the payout is closer to 90.9%. Management expects free cash flow of about $5.5 billion this year against planned dividends of around $5.4 billion. The balance sheet provides some buffer, with $4.7 billion in cash and no commercial paper outstanding at quarter-end. The dividend has held at $1.64 for seven straight quarters. Its last increase was a penny, from $1.63, in early 2025.
Bull case: The Amazon volume glide-down is done, and pricing is improving: revenue per piece rose 11.3% to $15.96 in the second quarter. The CEO said, “Incremental volume today carries materially better economics than before because of the structural changes we’ve made.” UPS expects about $3 billion in transformation benefits in 2026 and trades at about 12x forward earnings.
Risk: There is almost no margin for error. Volume fell 3.6%, fuel costs rose 60.4%, and tariff uncertainty hangs over global shipping. If the cost savings slip, a $1.3 billion pension contribution and transformation costs could leave the dividend just covered by free cash flow, or not covered at all.
Five Payers, One Common Thread
Every company on this list pays its dividend from operating cash flow, and the coverage buffer shrinks as yield rises. Enterprise Products and Kinder Morgan have the widest margins. Williams offers the fastest payout growth, PepsiCo brings a record of annual increases going back to 1999, and UPS has the biggest yield for investors willing to follow its turnaround. Through year-end, the numbers to track are Williams’ leverage as the Momentum deal closes, PepsiCo’s North American snack margins, and whether UPS free cash flow keeps pace with its $5.4 billion dividend commitment.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Only a few years ago, natural gas pipeline projects were largely concentrated in Texas and Louisiana. These intrastate systems did not require federal review, making permitting relatively easier. Today, natural gas pipeline projects are underway in many regions of the U.S., from the Southwest to the Midwest to the Northeast.
An energy-friendly administration has arguably helped projects around the country advance with less permitting and regulatory friction. However, investors may now be wondering if this could change with the midterm election or the next presidential election. Notably, a new bipartisan Senate bill could provide a more enduring fix for federal permitting, with positive implications for midstream companies.
Key Takeaways A bipartisan Senate bill would overhaul federal permitting after years of failed attempts at reform. The bill would make it harder for states, courts, and federal agencies to block pipeline projects. This could ease the path for midstream companies building new pipelines. Some risks would remain, and a key Senate vote is expected on November 9. Senate Unveils Long-Awaited Permitting Seal On September 30, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), a long-awaited overhaul of the federal permitting system. Under current law, projects that need a federal permit, cross federal land, or receive federal funding must complete lengthy environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other decades-old laws before moving forward. That includes interstate natural gas pipelines, which require approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under the Natural Gas Act. Environmental reviews can take years, and approved projects can still face lawsuits for up to six years afterward. BAAJA follows more than a year of negotiations among Senate committee leaders from both parties and the White House.
Permitting reform has been on the agenda for decades, but the current push dates to 2022, when former Senator Joe Manchin twice failed to attach reform provisions to must-pass legislation. Two years later, Manchin teamed up with Republican Senator John Barrasso on the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, which cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee but was left out of a year-end funding bill. Momentum returned in December 2025, when the House passed the SPEED Act and the PERMIT Act, which target NEPA reviews and state Clean Water Act certifications, respectively. Senate talks then stalled until the release of BAAJA.
BAAJA builds on these earlier efforts, carrying over the 2024 bill’s 150-day statute of limitations for legal challenges, along with provisions from both House bills. BAAJA goes further than its predecessors. At 417 pages, it is more than twice as long as the 2024 bill and rewrites many core elements of NEPA, the Clean Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
BAAJA Would Reduce Risk for New Pipeline Projects For midstream companies, BAAJA’s most significant provisions address the risk of projects being blocked by state reviews or stopped after approval, a potential concern for interstate natural gas pipelines.
In perhaps the clearest example, New York denied Clean Water Act certifications for Williams’ (WMB) Constitution pipeline in 2016 and its Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project in 2020, constraining the Northeast’s access to Appalachian natural gas during peak demand. New York approved NESE last year and WMB broke ground in April, but a federal appeals court vacated New Jersey’s certification for the project in September. (WMB is working with state officials and did not expect the decision to adversely impact construction or the anticipated 4Q27 start-up.)
BAAJA could make both types of hold-ups harder. States would need clear and convincing evidence to deny certification, and their reviews of interstate gas pipelines would be limited to direct discharges into waters. The table below summarizes the reforms most relevant to midstream.
BAAJA’s litigation reforms could be just as significant. Under current law, opponents of a project have up to six years to challenge a federal approval, and courts can void permits over flaws in an environmental review.
Shorter Challenge Windows and Stronger Permit Protections In 2020, three years after Energy Transfer’s (ET) Dakota Access Pipeline began operating, a federal court vacated a key easement on those grounds and ordered the 570,000 barrel per day crude pipeline shut down and emptied. An appeals court ultimately allowed it to keep running, but the ruling showed how litigation can threaten operating assets.
BAAJA would shorten the six-year window to challenge an approval to 150 days and limit lawsuits to parties that raised concerns during public comment. Courts would also have to send flawed reviews back to agencies to fix while projects continue construction or operations.
Finally, BAAJA would protect approved projects from shifting political priorities. Federal agencies could revoke permits only in narrow cases, such as fraud or an urgent safety threat, and developers could seek damages if an administration targets an entire category of projects. These provisions respond to actions by administrations of both parties, including the 2021 revocation of TC Energy’s (TRP CN) Keystone XL permit, the 2024 pause on liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals, and recent federal actions against offshore wind projects.
Bottom Line By lowering the risk of delays and permit reversals, BAAJA could ease the path for additional interstate pipeline opportunities as LNG exports and power generation drive natural gas demand higher. More predictable permitting could also help companies turn growing project backlogs into cash flow with less risk of cost overruns due to permitting issues.
The bill would not eliminate permitting risk, however. It lacks an LNG-specific approval deadline, courts could still halt projects over Endangered Species Act and certain Clean Water Act claims, and it does not address state and local opposition, such as New Mexico’s repeated rejections of an ET pipeline serving a large Oracle (ORCL) data center.
The next date to watch is November 9, when a Senate cloture vote is expected. BAAJA will need 60 votes, and the House has yet to introduce its own version. Bipartisan backing makes the bill less exposed to the midterm results, but the 2024 bill stalled in a similar lame-duck window.
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For more news, information, and analysis, visit the Energy Infrastructure Content Hub.
Ausbil Investment Management Ltd raised its stake in Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE: WMB) by 13.7% in the undefined quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 149,029 shares of the pipeline company's stock after acquiring an additional 17,939 shares during
Supply shocks from Russia's war in Ukraine and the Iran war have led to the prices of liquified natural gas (LNG) doubling since the start of the year. Those shocks are just minor tremors compared to the earthquake underway that will affect any energy stock that touches LNG.
Between 2025 and 2030, facilities capable of exporting more than 330 billion cubic meters per year (bcm/yr) of LNG are scheduled to open, doubling the current LNG export capacity, according to data from the International Energy Agency.
These facilities belong to projects that were already under construction and had received their final investment decision (FID), the official agreement to finance and build them, as of 2025. This expansion represents the largest increase in export capacity in history. Ultimately, the way this influx of natural gas unfolds will heavily influence global gas supplies and prices.
That's a huge increase, but even that rate of expansion may not be enough to keep up with demand. The growth of LNG export capacity and the rise in LNG demand will have a big ripple effect on energy stocks. Let's see how.
Image source: Getty Images.
Initially, the new LNG projects may hold prices down Shell (SHEL +1.36%) projects global LNG demand to rise by around 65% by 2050, to nearly 700 million tonnes a year. ExxonMobil (XOM +1.00%), meanwhile, pointing to increased demand in Asia, forecasts that its annual LNG sales will reach 50 million tons by 2030 and continue to rise beyond the current decade.
However, in the short term, particularly when the Iran war ebbs, there's a good chance that initially supply will outpace growth in global demand, and benchmark natural gas prices, such as Europe's TTF and Asia's JKM, are expected to face strong downward pressure.
Companies heavily focused on gas extraction without locked-in long-term contracts will see squeezed profit margins as market prices drop from recent historical highs. Facilities relying on spot market sales, selling gas day-to-day, will face severe revenue pressure.
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Energy integrated energy majors such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron (CVX +1.03%) and TotalEnergies (TTE +1.00%), will be insulated from some of the changes because they have long-term take-or-pay contracts. However, over time, their expiring contracts will likely be renegotiated at much shorter durations and at lower prices. That should put pressure on the margins of these energy majors.
The majors that adapt quickly to move cargoes to areas where demand and prices remain highest will thrive, but major oil and gas companies will face challenges.
Midstream operators should thrive Midstream operators -- the companies responsible for gathering, processing, transporting, and storing natural gas -- are among the biggest long-term winners of the expanded LNG export capacity.
While upstream producers deal with volatile commodity prices, midstream companies typically operate on toll-road-like commercial models. Moving 330+ bcm/yr of additional gas requires massive throughput, creating a major growth runway for midstream infrastructure.
They get paid based on the volume of natural gas they move in their pipelines, not on the spot price. Pipeline operators feeding Gulf Coast terminals will see near 100% capacity utilization on their transmission systems.
The larger midstream operators with major pipelines that connect to the Gulf of Mexico stand to benefit in the long term, including Kinder Morgan (KMI +2.28%), Williams Companies (WMB +2.11%), Enterprise Products Partners (EPD +1.17%), and Enbridge (ENB +0.75%).
However, to keep up, these companies will incur significant capital expenditures as large-diameter, high-pressure natural gas pipelines are being constructed to directly link gas fields to coastal export plants.
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Energy infrastructure and logistics companies should benefit Any rise in LNG exports means that shipping, storage, and regasification infrastructure companies win regardless of where commodity prices end up. Stocks that could easily grow include LNG carrier operators such as Flex LNG (FLNG -0.92%) and Golar LNG (GLNG +0.60%). They should also see elevated charter demand to move the increased cargo volume across oceans.
Other companies that provide floating storage and regasification units, such as Excelerate Energy (EE +0.82%) and Höegh LNG (HMLPF -0.83%), will likely build receiving ports in emerging markets to catch cheap gas.
The trend will shake up the industry The additional LNG export projects represent the largest and fastest wave of supply build-out in the history of the gas industry, driven primarily by mega-projects taking shape in the United States, Qatar, and Russia.
There will be winners and losers from this sea change. It's hard to say which major oil and gas producers will adapt and which ones will struggle. However, there are plenty of likely winners in LNG logistics, including midstream operators, LNG tankers, and storage companies, as they stand to benefit the most in the long term from the massive surge in gas throughput and transport demand.
Investor sentiment and credit markets suggest defensive positioning is at levels not seen in years. Popular safe-haven assets come with a hidden cost that could hurt investors if the bearish signals prove wrong. 2 covered call ETFs that I discuss in this article offer a compelling middle ground between high income and downside resilience.
Key Takeaways Kinder Morgan relies on take-or-pay contracts that support stable fee-based revenues and lower risk.MPLX generates stable cash flows from long-term shipper contracts and fee-based gathering systems.Williams is positioned to benefit from natural gas demand with a pipeline network spanning 30,000 miles. The stock market is experiencing uncertainty stemming from Middle East tensions, which pushed oil prices higher and created lasting inflationary pressure. It is likely that investors, most of whom are risk-averse, are looking for stocks that can withstand the current market ups and downs.
The uncertainty and volatility have been reflected in wild oil price movements as conflicts in the Middle East continue to affect energy markets. However, not all stocks are affected by the ongoing challenges. Three midstream players, Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI - Free Report) , MPLX LP (MPLX - Free Report) and The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB - Free Report) , are well-poised to gain. Let's delve deeper.
Resilient Midstream BusinessStocks in the midstream space have lower exposure to volatility in commodity prices than oil and gas producers. This is because midstream players generate stable fee-based revenues since the transportation and storage assets are being booked by shippers for the long term. Hence, their business model is relatively low-risk, which indicates considerably less exposure to oil and gas prices and volume risks.
3 Pipeline Stocks to Gain: KMI, MPLX & WMBKinder Morgan: With its operating interests in oil and gas pipeline networks spread across 78,000 miles, KMI is a leading energy infrastructure company in North America. It derives most of its earnings from take-or-pay contracts, generating stable fee-based revenues.
The midstream energy major is likely to grow on the back of its business model, which is relatively resilient to volume and commodity price risks.
MPLX: MPLX’s midstream business comprises transporting crude oil and refined products. The partnership generates stable cash flows from its long-term contracts with the shippers. Its crude oil and natural gas gathering systems also generate stable fee-based revenues.
The Williams Companies: The company is well-poised to capitalize on the mounting demand for clean energy since it is engaged in transporting, storing, gathering and processing natural gas and natural gas liquids.
With its pipeline networks spread across more than 30,000 miles, The Williams Companies connects premium basins in the United States to key markets. WMB’s assets can meet a considerable proportion of the nation’s natural gas consumption, which is utilized for heating purposes and clean energy generation.
Toro (NASDAQ:TORO – Get Free Report) and Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) are both energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, earnings, dividends and risk.
Volatility & Risk Toro has a beta of 2.55, indicating that its share price is 155% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Williams Companies has a beta of 0.59, indicating that its share price is 41% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Toro and Williams Companies, as reported by MarketBeat.
Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Toro 0 1 0 0 2.00 Williams Companies 0 2 17 3 3.05 Williams Companies has a consensus target price of $85.94, indicating a potential upside of 25.13%. Given Williams Companies’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Williams Companies is more favorable than Toro. Profitability This table compares Toro and Williams Companies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Toro 22.67% 2.49% 1.43% Williams Companies 25.17% 18.49% 4.75% Valuation and Earnings This table compares Toro and Williams Companies”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Toro $21.08 million 5.25 $5.93 million $0.04 128.75 Williams Companies $12.20 billion 6.88 $2.62 billion $2.51 27.36 Williams Companies has higher revenue and earnings than Toro. Williams Companies is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Toro, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Insider & Institutional Ownership 1.7% of Toro shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 86.4% of Williams Companies shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.5% of Williams Companies shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Summary Williams Companies beats Toro on 13 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Toro (Get Free Report)
Toro Corp., a shipping company, acquires, owns, charters, and operates oceangoing tanker vessels and provides seaborne transportation services for crude oil LPG, and refined petroleum products worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Aframax/LR2 Tanker, Handysize Tanker, and LPG Carrier. As of December 31, 2023, it operated a fleet of one Handysize tanker vessel; one Aframax/LR2 vessel; and four LPG carrier vessels with an aggregate cargo carrying capacity of 0.1 million deadweight ton. Toro Corp. was incorporated in 2022 and is based in Limassol, Cyprus.
(Get Free Report)
The Williams Companies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy infrastructure company primarily in the United States. It operates through Transmission & Gulf of Mexico, Northeast G&P, West, and Gas & NGL Marketing Services segments. The Transmission & Gulf of Mexico segment comprises natural gas pipelines; Transco, Northwest pipeline, MountainWest, and related natural gas storage facilities; and natural gas gathering and processing, and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region. The Northeast G&P segment engages in the midstream gathering, processing, and fractionation activities in the Marcellus Shale region primarily in Pennsylvania and New York, and the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. The West segment consists of gas gathering, processing, and treating operations in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado and Wyoming, the Barnett Shale region of north-central Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale region of South Texas, the Haynesville Shale region of northwest Louisiana, the Mid-Continent region that includes the Anadarko and Permian basins, and the DJ Basin of Colorado; and operates natural gas liquid (NGL) fractionation and storage facilities in central Kansas near Conway. The Gas & NGL Marketing Services segment provides wholesale marketing, trading, storage, and transportation of natural gas for natural gas utilities, municipalities, power generators, and producers; asset management services; and transports and markets NGLs. The company owns and operates 33,000 miles of pipelines. The Williams Companies, Inc. was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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I'm a longtime investor in Williams Companies (WMB -1.87%), having bought the stock on three occasions since 2019. Based in Tulsa, it is one of the larger midstream energy companies, handling roughly one-third of all natural gas produced in the United States.
Williams operates key interstate transmission pipelines, including Transco, the nation's largest natural gas pipeline system by volume, as well as natural gas-gathering networks, processing plants, and storage facilities.
The stock remains in my portfolio because of the company's solid performance. Its shares are up more than 130% in the last decade, not including dividends. If you had bought $10,000 worth of Williams Brothers stock when I did and reinvested the dividends, you would have $42,166.12 now.
That's a pretty good return, and while some investors might take the profits and run, I'm holding onto the stock. Here's why.
Image source: Getty Images.
It has a dependable dividend The yield on its dividend is 3% at its current share price, lower than the dividend yield of competitors such as Kinder Morgan or Enbridge. However, because of the company's more insulated cash-flow structure, it has boosted its dividend by more than 162% over the past decade, easily outpacing those two competitors.
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The company raised its quarterly dividend by 5% this year to $0.525, the 10th consecutive year it has increased its dividend.
On an available funds from operations (AFFO) basis, the dividend is covered by 2.26x, as of the second quarter.
Its business is stable yet positioned for growth Williams' pipeline footprint, particularly its Haynesville gathering assets and Transco Gulf Coast connections, directly links major gas basins to Gulf Coast export terminals. This positions the company as an indispensable beneficiary of the expansion of U.S. energy export infrastructure.
Global liquefied natural gas (LNG) volumes increased 5.4% to a record 56.3 billion cubic feet per day in 2025.
Williams' contracts are take-or-pay, meaning that power plants, utility companies, and gas producers pay the company either to take delivery of a minimum amount of a commodity, such as natural gas or pipeline capacity, or to pay a penalty if they don't take it.
In Q2, the company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.68, up 51%, year over year, and AFFO of $1.45 billion, up 10% over the same period a year ago. Revenue rose 9.7%, year over year, to $3.05 billion.
Data center power needs are driving orders As of Q2, Williams had a $15.5 billion backlog of orders due to come online between 2027 and 2033. Electricity demand in the U.S. is accelerating rapidly due to data center expansions, artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, and industrial electrification.
Williams is expanding its power generation and corridor pipeline projects, with a six-gigawatt backlog of potential projects, to provide a steady, natural gas-backed electricity supply directly to utilities and high-demand energy customers.
The company has 10 project expansions along its Transco pipeline that are already under construction or have signed customer agreements.
Looking past the concerns The stock is up more than 15% so far this year, and thanks to that, its valuation is high, more than 28 times forward earnings. That's high for a pipeline operator and well above the median for the energy midstream sector. If you look at its enterprise value-to-earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EV/EBITDA) ratio, it is trading at less than 17 times earnings, still higher than its peers but not out of line considering its growth prospects.
The company recently raised its long-term adjusted EBITDA target to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) greater than 11% through 2030, driven by power expansion projects and major bolt-on acquisitions.
Even if the stock appears pricey at the moment, it is well positioned to justify its lofty valuation, particularly for long-term investors.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of WMB, ENB, KMI, OKE either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
The latest rebalance of VettaFi’s Thematic Rotation Quality Momentum Screened Index (TQRMS), tracked by the NBI Thematic Rotation ETF (NTHM:TSX), reshapes the portfolio around a new set of themes. GLP-1 weight loss drug manufacturers and midstream energy join the index, while battery technology & storage and software-as-a-service (SaaS) exit.
Key Takeaways Theme changes: The NTHM rebalance added GLP-1 weight loss drug manufacturers, representing 14.41% across 18 holdings, and midstream energy, representing 16.03% across 22 holdings. Battery technology & storage and software-as-a-service (SaaS) were removed. Direct stock ownership: NTHM holds individual common stocks directly, including Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Eli Lilly, and ONEOK, across seven distinct thematic areas. Related U.S.-listed ETFs: Five of NTHM’s themes have related U.S.-listed ETF strategies: THNR, GAMR, ROBO, BATT and NDIV. GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs: The Obesity Treatment Theme The GLP-1 weight loss drug manufacturers theme now represents 14.41% of NTHM across 18 holdings. Major pharmaceutical companies anchor the allocation. These include Eli Lilly (LLY), Novo Nordisk (NVO), AstraZeneca (AZN), Roche (RHHBY), and Gilead Sciences (GILD).
These companies give the theme exposure to drug developers and manufacturers working in obesity treatment and related areas. The category also reflects the broader pharmaceutical ecosystem surrounding weight-management therapies.
For more targeted U.S. exposure, the Amplify Weight Loss Drug & Treatment ETF (THNR) provides a dedicated approach to the weight-loss drug and treatment theme. THNR tracks the VettaFi Weight Loss Drug & Treatment Index and carries a 0.59% expense ratio. Its methodology focuses on pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies involved in the development and commercialization of weight-loss drugs and related treatments.
The two approaches differ in scope. NTHM incorporates the GLP-1 theme into a diversified seven-theme portfolio, while THNR focuses specifically on the weight-loss drug and treatment opportunity.
See More: NTHM ETF Rotates Into Midstream Energy & GLP-1 Healthcare
Midstream Energy: The Infrastructure Behind Energy Markets Midstream energy represents 16.03% of NTHM across 22 holdings. It was the other new theme added during the latest rebalance.
The theme centers on companies involved in energy infrastructure. Representative holdings include ONEOK (OKE), Williams Companies (WMB), Kinder Morgan (KMI), Enbridge (ENB), and TC Energy (TRP).
These businesses operate across areas such as pipelines, storage, transportation and energy processing. Therefore, the theme provides exposure to a different part of the energy value chain than traditional exploration and production companies.
E-Sports & Interactive Gaming: A Broadening Digital Entertainment Theme E-Sports & interactive gaming represents 14.67% of NTHM across 14 stocks.
The theme reaches beyond traditional game publishers. It includes companies with major gaming platforms, ecosystems and technology businesses. Representative holdings include Meta Platforms (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Tencent Holdings (TCEHY), Nintendo, and Sony Group (SONY).
Gaming increasingly intersects with digital platforms, mobile applications, online services, hardware and other technologies. As a result, the theme is broader than an allocation focused solely on game publishers.
For investors seeking more targeted exposure, the Amplify Video Game Leaders ETF (GAMR) provides access to the global video-game value chain. GAMR covers areas including game development and publishing, mobile and online gaming, gaming hardware, graphics processors and related technologies. The fund therefore offers a dedicated gaming strategy, while NTHM combines gaming exposure with six other themes.
Semiconductors: The Building Blocks of Digital Technology Semiconductors account for 14.32% of NTHM across 40 holdings. The theme encompasses chipmakers and semiconductor equipment companies. Representative holdings include Intel (INTC), AMD (AMD), Arm Holdings (ARM), Micron (MU), and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM).
Semiconductors also connect with several other themes represented in NTHM. Chips support applications across artificial intelligence, advanced computing, robotics and gaming.
Robotics & Computation: Automation Across Industries Robotic technologies & computation accounts for 14.27% of NTHM across 14 equities.
The theme emphasizes automation, precision machinery, optical technologies and other components used in robotics and automated systems. Representative holdings include Harmonic Drive Systems, IPG Photonics (IPGP), SMC Corp., Jenoptik, and Keyence (KYCCF).
The opportunity extends beyond companies producing finished robots. It also includes businesses supplying components, machinery and technologies that support industrial automation.
For a dedicated U.S.-listed thematic strategy, the ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF (ROBO) provides broader exposure to robotics, automation and related technologies. ROBO has a 0.95% expense ratio and now sits at $2.03 billion in assets under management.
Battery Minerals & Raw Materials: The Materials Behind Electrification Battery minerals & raw materials represents 13.74% of NTHM across 22 companies.
The theme focuses on raw materials that support electrification and battery production. Representative holdings include BHP Group (BHP), Freeport-McMoRan (FCX), Grupo Mexico, TDK, and Teck Resources (TECK).
This theme differs from battery technology & storage, which was removed during the latest rebalance. Battery minerals & raw materials focuses further upstream on mining and materials. The dropped theme was more directly associated with battery technologies and storage solutions.
The related U.S.-listed ETF is the Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (BATT). BATT provides exposure across battery technology, battery metals and materials, and electric vehicles.
Consequently, BATT represents a broader battery value-chain strategy. NTHM’s current theme has a more specific focus on battery minerals and raw materials.
Natural Resources: Broad Exposure to Energy and Commodities Natural resources represents 12.56% of NTHM across 43 companies.
The allocation includes traditional energy and natural-resource businesses. Representative holdings include Phillips 66 (PSX), Chevron (CVX), Exxon Mobil (XOM), Shell (SHEL), and BP (BP).
The theme is broader than midstream energy. Midstream focuses on energy infrastructure and transportation. Natural resources, meanwhile, encompasses a wider group of companies involved in energy and natural-resource activities.
For a more targeted U.S.-listed strategy, the Amplify Energy & Natural Resources Covered Call ETF (NDIV) provides exposure to energy and natural-resource equities while using a covered-call strategy.
NDIV tracks the VettaFi Energy and Natural Resources Covered Call Index and carries a 0.59% total expense ratio. However, its covered-call overlay means its structure differs from NTHM’s direct ownership of individual stocks.
For more news, information, and analysis visit the Thematic Investing Content Hub.
vettafi.com is owned by VettaFi LLC (“VettaFi”). VettaFi is the index provider for the ROBO ETFs, for which it receives an index licensing fee. However, the ROBO ETFs are not issued, sponsored, endorsed, or sold by VettaFi. VettaFi and its affiliates have no obligation or liability in connection with the issuance, administration, marketing, or trading of the ROBO ETFs.
VettaFi LLC (“VettaFi”) is the index provider for THNR, NDIV, BATT and GAMR for which it receives an index licensing fee. However, THNR, NDIV, BATT and GAMR are not issued, sponsored, endorsed, or sold by VettaFi, and VettaFi has no obligation or liability in connection with the issuance, administration, marketing, or trading of THNR, NDIV, BATT and GAMR.
Key Takeaways A 44 Bcf storage build trailed forecasts and the five-year average, narrowing the surplus.Lower dry gas output and Canadian imports added support, though record production capped gains.WMB, RRC and EXE offer exposure to natural gas infrastructure, production and demand trends. Natural gas ended the week on a positive note, supported by lingering September heat, strong power-sector demand and a smaller-than-normal storage injection. Although record U.S. production and expectations for cooler weather limited the rally, tighter storage conditions and solid LNG demand provided support.
For investors seeking exposure to this backdrop, The Williams Companies (WMB - Free Report) , Range Resources (RRC - Free Report) and Expand Energy (EXE - Free Report) are three natural gas-focused stocks worth watching.
Natural Gas Posts 2.9% Weekly GainU.S. natural gas futures gained 2.9% for the week, settling at $2.912 per MMBtu. The advance was mainly supported by unusually warm September weather, which kept cooling needs and power-sector gas demand elevated well beyond the peak summer period. Strong LNG demand and lower Canadian imports also helped tighten the supply-demand balance. Meanwhile, a smaller-than-normal storage injection added support by reducing the inventory surplus over historical levels. However, gains remained somewhat restrained by record U.S. natural gas production and expectations that temperatures will moderate as September progresses. Even so, the weekly increase showed that persistent late-season heat and stronger demand can continue providing near-term support to natural gas prices despite abundant domestic supply.
Smaller Storage Build Supports PricesThe latest EIA report provided another encouraging signal. U.S. utilities added 44 Bcf of natural gas to storage for the week ended Sept. 11, below the 49 Bcf expected by analysts and well below the five-year average injection of 74 Bcf. Inventories reached 3,298 Bcf, 118 Bcf above the five-year average but 122 Bcf below the year-ago level. Importantly, the surplus over the five-year average narrowed from 148 Bcf in the previous week, reflecting the impact of persistent late-season heat on power-sector demand.
Natural Gas Outlook Remains EncouragingNear-term conditions offer reasons for natural gas investors to remain hopeful. September heat has extended the cooling season and restrained storage injections, while LNG demand remains an important source of support. U.S. supply also declined during the latest reporting week, with dry gas production slipping 1% and Canadian imports falling 13%. These factors could help tighten the supply-demand balance if demand remains resilient.
Still, cooler fall weather could reduce power-sector consumption and allow storage builds to strengthen before heating demand arrives. Record production also remains a restraint on prices. Yet the shrinking storage surplus, continued LNG activity and the approach of the winter heating season provide constructive elements for the market.
3 Stocks to Focus OnAgainst this backdrop, natural gas-focused investors may consider keeping The Williams Companies, Range Resources and Expand Energy — each carrying Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) — on their radar. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Williams Companies: Williams Companies is a natural gas infrastructure operator with businesses spanning transmission, gathering, processing, storage and related marketing. Its network is concentrated around major U.S. supply and demand centers, with Transco serving as a key pipeline corridor. The company also has large gathering positions in the Marcellus, Utica and Haynesville, which together account for most of its gathering volumes.
In the Haynesville, Williams is expanding its wellhead-to-market system, supported by gathering capacity, Gulf Coast connections and 120 Bcf of storage. Its assets are positioned to move gas toward power plants, industrial users and LNG export facilities, giving the company broad exposure to rising natural gas demand.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 earnings per share indicates 21.4% year-over-year growth. Williams Companies’ expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is 19.6%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 12.5%.
Range Resources: Range Resources is a natural gas-focused producer centered in Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Basin, with development led by its core Marcellus acreage in southwest Pennsylvania. The company controls about 450,000 net acres there and another 70,000 in northeast Pennsylvania. Its large, contiguous position supports efficient drilling and gives RRC more than 30 years of high-quality Marcellus inventory.
Range Resources sells natural gas into several markets rather than relying on one local outlet. Roughly 30% goes to the Midwest, while about 25% each reaches the Gulf Coast and LNG/premium Gulf markets, with the balance serving local and Northeast customers. This market reach supports its long-term gas production strategy.
Range Resources beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters. The natural gas producer has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 22.5%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2026 earnings per share indicates a 27% year-over-year improvement.
Expand Energy: Expand Energy is North America’s largest natural gas producer, with about 2 million net acres and 2026 production near 7.5 Bcfe per day. Its operations span three main areas: Haynesville, northeast Appalachia and southwest Appalachia. These assets provide deep drilling inventory and place production close to major demand centers, while an interconnected transportation network helps move gas to higher-value markets.
The company is also building a broader natural gas platform beyond production. Its planned Twin Eagle acquisition would expand marketing, storage and firm transportation capabilities across North America. That combination is designed to connect Expand’s gas supply with power, industrial and LNG customers from coast to coast.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Expand Energy’s 2026 earnings per share indicates a 42.8% year-over-year improvement. The firm has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 7.2%, on average.
The Williams Companies, Inc. faces a recent court setback revoking a key environmental permit for its Northeast pipeline ambitions. WMB targets significant profit by supplying lower-priced natural gas to the energy-constrained Northeast. Momentum Midstream acquisition and Gulf export access drive continued growth. This company has multiple projects in the pipeline.
The midstream energy segment is seeing a wave of large-scale M&A after a slower start to 2026. This has been largely driven by companies racing to expand natural gas and crude oil infrastructure to support growing export demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG), natural gas liquids (NGLs), and crude oil.
Key Takeaways Williams faces a new court setback as a key New Jersey water permit for NESE is reversed.NESE aims to add 400,000 dekatherms per day of Transco capacity for Northeast gas demand.Williams remains committed to NESE and targets completion in the fourth quarter of 2027. The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB - Free Report) is reportedly facing a fresh regulatory hurdle for its long-delayed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) natural gas pipeline project. The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a key New Jersey water permit for the project, granting petitions filed by environmental groups and remanding the Water Quality Certification to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The ruling creates another challenge for a project that has already faced significant regulatory opposition.
Williams, however, remains committed to moving ahead. The company said it is working promptly with state regulatory officials to address the court’s findings and does not currently expect the decision to affect construction or its anticipated in-service timeline. Williams is targeting completion of NESE in the fourth quarter of 2027.
NESE Targets Rising Northeast Gas DemandNESE is a roughly $1 billion project being developed by Williams’ Transco unit. The project would expand the existing Transco pipeline system and include an offshore pipeline segment in Raritan Bay between New Jersey and New York. Once completed, NESE is designed to transport around 0.4 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from Pennsylvania through New Jersey and into New York.
The expansion is aimed at addressing rising energy demand across the Northeast. Williams expects the project to increase Transco’s capacity by 400,000 dekatherms per day, providing enough energy to serve the equivalent of about 2.3 million homes. This additional capacity could strengthen the natural gas supply to New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, particularly during periods of peak winter demand.
Environmental Opposition Remains a Key RiskThe latest court decision follows a lawsuit filed by environmental groups against NJDEP. The groups argued that the state had unjustifiably approved the certification after previously rejecting the project in 2019 for failing to demonstrate compliance with state water quality standards.
Opponents have also raised concerns about the project’s underwater segment, arguing that dredging the Raritan Bay floor could disturb sediment containing contaminants such as mercury and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). These environmental concerns could continue to create regulatory uncertainty for Williams as it works to advance NESE.
Long-Term Benefits Could Support WilliamsDespite the regulatory setback, NESE offers strategic benefits if Williams can keep the project on track. Greater pipeline capacity would improve energy security in the Northeast by providing additional natural gas during high-demand periods. The project could also support growing demand from population growth, industrial activity and seasonal consumption.
For Williams, successful completion would strengthen its Transco system and improve access to key Northeast markets. The project is also expected to support economic activity through construction and long-term operations.
Overall, the court ruling introduces another obstacle, but Williams’ continued commitment and the strong regional need for additional gas infrastructure remain positive factors. Investors will likely focus on how quickly the company and NJDEP can address the court’s concerns without materially delaying NESE’s targeted 2027 completion.
WMB’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksOklahoma-based Williams is a premier energy infrastructure provider in North America. Currently, WMB has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Investors interested in the energy sector may consider some top-ranked stocks like Forum Energy Technologies, Inc. (FET - Free Report) , PBF Energy Inc. (PBF - Free Report) and Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (PARR - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Forum Energy Technologies is a global oilfield products company, serving the subsea, drilling, completion, production and infrastructure sectors of the oil and natural gas industry. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FET’s 2026 earnings indicates 536.5% year-over-year growth.
PBF Energy is a leading independent refiner of crude oil that produces unbranded transportation fuels, heating oil, petrochemical feedstocks, lubricants and other petroleum products. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PBF’s 2026 earnings indicates 481.1% year-over-year growth.
Houston, TX-based Par Pacific Holdings is a growth-oriented energy company supplying conventional and renewable fuels across the Western United States. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PARR’s 2026 earnings indicates 182.1% year-over-year growth.
TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Williams (NYSE: WMB) announced today that it has priced a public offering of $500 million of its 5.000% Senior Notes due 2029 at a price of 99.931 percent of par, $1.0 billion of its 5.600% Senior Notes due 2033 at a price of 99.999 percent of par, $750 million of its 5.800% Senior Notes due 2036 at a price of 99.819 percent of par, and $500 million of its 6.400% Senior Notes due 2056 at a price of 99.800 percent of par. The expected settlement date for the offering is September 10, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a key New Jersey water permit for U.S. energy company Williams Cos' (WMB.N) long-delayed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) natural gas pipeline project in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.
The court said in a ruling on Tuesday that it granted petitions by environmental groups, vacated the Water Quality Certification and remanded the case to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
A coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit last November against the NJDEP for unjustifiably approving the certification for NESE, after first rejecting the project in 2019 for failure to demonstrate compliance with state water quality standards.
“When the water quality certificate was denied in 2019, that should have been the end of it," said Charlie Kratovil, Central Jersey Organizer at Food & Water Watch, one of the environmental groups opposing the project.
Officials at Williams were not immediately available for comment.
NESE is a roughly $1 billion project under construction by Williams' Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co (Transco) unit that would expand the existing Transco gas pipe. NESE includes the construction of an offshore pipe in the Raritan Bay between New Jersey and New York.
The environmental groups contended that the underwater segment would require dredging the bay floor, stirring up sediment containing toxic contaminants like mercury and PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls), which could pose risks to human health and marine habitats.
Williams officially broke ground on NESE in Brooklyn, New York, in April 2026.
In addition to NESE, Williams is also developing another long-delayed gas pipe in the region, Constitution Pipeline from Pennsylvania to New York.
Both projects were controversial in part because they were previously rejected by state environmental regulators and canceled by Williams in past years before U.S. President Donald Trump sought their revival after returning to office in 2025.
Williams canceled Constitution in 2020 and NESE in 2024 after years of fighting for permits, especially water permits, from state regulators in New York and New Jersey.
In May 2025, the Trump administration used New York's reconsideration of Williams' proposed gas pipes in the state as part of a deal with New York Governor Kathy Hochul to lift a federal ban on construction of Norwegian energy firm Equinor's (EQNR.OL) Empire Wind offshore wind farm off New York.
Hochul did not agree to approve either pipe project but said the state would work with the U.S. administration and private entities on projects that meet the legal requirements under New York law.
Williams said on its website that it targeted completion of NESE in the fourth quarter of 2027 and Constitution in the fourth quarter of 2028.
NESE is designed to move around 0.4 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of gas from Pennsylvania, across New Jersey and into New York.
Constitution, which is not under construction, is designed to move around 0.65 bcfd of gas from Pennsylvania to New York.
One billion cubic feet of gas is enough to supply around five million U.S. homes for a day.
Occidental Petroleum (OXY +1.02%), the oil and gas giant more commonly known as Oxy, has been a major beneficiary of soaring oil prices this year. Oxy generates most of its revenue from its upstream exploration, drilling, and extraction business. When oil prices rise, Oxy and other upstream companies can grow their revenues much faster than their operating expenses.
To support its current capex and dividends, Oxy only needs WTI crude oil -- currently at $93 per barrel -- to remain above its $40-per-barrel breakeven price. Its free cash flow (FCF) also increases significantly as long as WTI stays above $60 per barrel. That's why Oxy's stock has rallied nearly 50% this year and beaten the S&P 500's (^GSPC -0.58%) 12% gain.
Image source: Getty Images.
Oxy might still seem like an attractive investment as the Iran war drags on and oil prices remain high. But as September (historically the worst month for stocks) starts, I'd rather own a steady midstream pipeline stock as my main energy play instead of Oxy's oil-driven shares. That stock is The Williams Companies (WMB +2.27%), which accounts for about 3.2% of my portfolio.
Why are midstream companies more reliable than upstream ones? Midstream companies build pipelines that transport crude oil, natural gas, and other resources. They charge upstream and downstream companies tolls to use that infrastructure. They're well-insulated from volatile commodity prices, since they only need the oil and gas to keep flowing through their pipelines to generate stable profits and cash flows.
Midstream companies still benefit from rising oil and gas prices, which drive higher volumes through their pipelines. But they struggle less than upstream companies when those prices decline, and they usually return most of their cash to their investors through dividends. That makes midstream stocks a great choice for conservative income investors.
Why is Williams superior to other midstream companies? Many midstream companies are structured as master limited partnerships (MLPs), which blend a return of capital with their distributions to pay more tax-efficient yields. However, investors who hold shares in MLPs must file separate K-1 forms with their taxes every year. Williams operates as a conventional C corporation, so its dividends are reported on the standard 1099-DIV form.
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Williams pays a forward dividend yield of 2.8%, which is higher than Oxy's 1.9% but significantly lower than the yields of many other midstream companies. However, Williams is also growing faster than many of its industry peers because it's more exposed to the cloud and AI markets.
Unlike many other midstream companies, which deliver a mix of crude oil, natural gas, and other resources, Williams primarily delivers natural gas. It transports approximately 30% of the country's natural gas through its Transco pipelines between Texas and the Eastern Seaboard. That natural gas "superhighway" powers nearly half of our domestic data centers.
It's also building "behind-the-meter" (BTM) systems at data centers to provide hyperscalers with a steady supply of natural gas that bypasses utility company bottlenecks. Setting up a grid-based natural gas connection can take four to seven years, while Williams can deploy a BTM system in just 18 to 24 months. Those advantages make Williams more of an AI infrastructure play than many other midstream companies.
Why is Williams a safe stock to buy in September? September is typically a bad month for stocks because institutional investors rebalance their portfolios by pruning their winners and losers. That selling pressure can drive retail investors toward more conservative investments like Williams.
Williams' stock has already risen 25% year to date, but it still trades at less than 13 times next year's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Analysts expect its adjusted EBITDA to grow at a 7% CAGR from 2025 to 2028.
Its available funds from operations (AFFO) rose 17% year over year to $3.2 billion in the first half of 2026, easily covering its dividends with a 2.5x ratio. Therefore, it still has plenty of room to increase its dividend, which it has already raised annually for the past nine consecutive years. So if you want a cheap stock with a decent dividend, plenty of exposure to the AI boom, and can resist a downturn in oil prices, Williams checks all the right boxes.
Williams (NYSE: WMB) announced today that it has priced a public offering of $500 million of its 5.000% Senior Notes due 2029 at a price of 99.931 percent of par, $1.0 billion of its 5.600% Senior Notes due 2033 at a price of 99.999 percent of par, $750 million of its 5.800% Senior Notes due 2036 at a price of 99.819 percent of par, and $500 million of its 6.400% Senior Notes due 2056 at a price of 99.800 percent of par. The expected settlement date for the offering is September 10, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Williams intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to repay its outstanding commercial paper and for other general corporate purposes, including funding capital expenditures.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.
This news release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful.
An automatic shelf registration statement relating to the notes was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and became effective upon filing. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in the registration statement and other documents Williams has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Williams and the offering. A copy of the prospectus supplement and prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or from any of the underwriters by contacting:
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions
1155 Long Island Avenue
Edgewood, New York 11717
Telephone: 1-800 831-9146
E-mail: [email protected]
c/o Mizuho Securities USA LLC
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Attn: Debt Capital Markets
Telephone: 1-866-271-7403
c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
Attn: Investment Banking Division
Telephone: 1-866-718-1649
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.
277 Park Avenue, 5th Floor
New York, New York 10172
Attention: Debt Capital Markets
Email: [email protected]
About Williams
Williams (NYSE: WMB) is a trusted energy industry leader committed to safely, reliably, and responsibly meeting growing energy demand. We use our infrastructure to deliver one third of the nation’s natural gas to where it's needed most, supplying the energy used to heat our homes, cook our food and generate low-carbon electricity. For over a century, we’ve been driven by a passion for doing things the right way. Today, our team of problem solvers is leading the charge into the clean energy future.
Portions of this document may constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined by federal law. Although Williams believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the “safe harbor” protections provided under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in Williams’ annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260908682835/en/
Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.
When many investors think of energy dividend stocks, they tend to focus on integrated energy giants like Chevron (CVX -1.29%) and ExxonMobil (XOM -1.69%). But if we dig a bit deeper, we'll find plenty of other stocks that either have higher yields or more stable business models.
Today, we'll take a closer look at two of those oft-overlooked stocks: Kimbell Royalty Partners (KRP -0.27%) and The Williams Companies (WMB +0.14%). Kimbell represents a low-risk, high-yield play on rising oil and gas prices, while Williams offers investors a unique way to capitalize on the AI boom while generating steady income.
Image source: Getty Images.
Kimbell Royalty Partners Kimbell Royalty Partners isn't a traditional energy company. Instead of drilling for oil and gas, it owns the mineral rights to roughly 17 million gross acres across all major U.S. onshore basins.
Whenever an upstream company drills a well on its land, Kimbell receives a fixed percentage (usually between 12.5% to 25%) of the gross revenue generated from every barrel of oil or thousand cubic feet of natural gas produced. Therefore, Kimbell doesn't need to spend a single dollar on capex for oil rig leases, drilling equipment, labor, and well maintenance -- but it generates a steady stream of cash as long as upstream companies keep drilling on its land.
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Kimbell is still exposed to fluctuating oil and gas prices, but it's shielded against rising drilling costs, labor shortages, and supply chain inflation. It usually pays out 75% of its cash available for distribution (CAD) as dividends and uses the remaining 25% to service its debt.
In its latest quarter, its CAD rose 27% year over year to $60 million, and its cash distribution increased 15% sequentially to $0.47 per common unit. That equals an annualized yield of 13%, which could rise further over the next few quarters if oil prices remain elevated.
From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect Kimbell's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) to grow at a 5% CAGR. With an enterprise value of $2 billion, it trades at less than six times next year's adjusted EBITDA. Kimbell isn't an exciting stock, but it's a reliable dividend stock that can easily support its massive yield.
The Williams Companies Williams owns more than 33,000 miles of pipeline across the United States. As a midstream company, Williams is well-insulated from fluctuating oil and gas prices because it only charges upstream and downstream companies "tolls" to pump resources through its pipes.
Unlike many other midstream companies, which transport a mix of crude oil, natural gas, and other resources, Williams mainly delivers natural gas. It already transports roughly 30% of the country's natural gas, which powers nearly half of our domestic data centers, through its Transco pipelines between Texas and the Eastern Seaboard.
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Williams is also building "behind the meter" (BTM) sites at data centers to provide hyperscalers with a steady supply of natural gas that bypasses the bottlenecks at utility companies. Those strategies make Williams more of an AI infrastructure play than many of its industry peers.
Williams pays a forward yield of 2.8%. Its available funds from operations (AFFO) rose 17% year over year to $3.2 billion in the first half of 2026, which was 2.5x higher than its dividend payments. Therefore, it has plenty of room to raise its payout to attract more income investors.
From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect Williams' adjusted EBITDA to grow at a 13% CAGR. With an enterprise value of $123 billion, it also looks like a bargain at 13 times next year's adjusted EBITDA. If you're looking for an undervalued, income-generating midstream stock with ample exposure to the AI boom, Williams checks all the right boxes.
Key Takeaways Hot weather lifted cooling demand, while LNG feedgas consumption rose 12% as export maintenance ended.A 30 Bcf storage build trailed the five-year average, though strong U.S. production limited price gains.WMB, RRC and EXE offer exposure to natural gas through infrastructure, production and market access. Natural gas had a positive week as unusually warm weather kept demand for electricity and air conditioning strong across much of the United States. Activity at LNG export plants also improved as maintenance work ended at several facilities. At the same time, recent increases in gas kept in storage were smaller than normal, which helped prices. However, plentiful U.S. production prevented prices from rising sharply. Overall, the market showed signs of improving demand, even as strong supply remained an important concern.
Given this improving backdrop, investors may want to focus on natural gas-related stocks, such as The Williams Companies (WMB - Free Report) , Range Resources (RRC - Free Report) and Expand Energy (EXE - Free Report) .
Prices End the Week HigherNatural gas futures finished last week on a positive note, gaining about 3% to settle at $2.975 per MMBtu. Hotter-than-normal weather across much of the central and midwestern United States supported cooling demand. Total natural gas demand increased 2% during the week, helped mainly by a 12% jump in LNG feedgas consumption as maintenance outages ended at several export facilities. At the same time, strong U.S. production and comfortable overall inventory levels kept the rally in check. Still, improving demand conditions helped natural gas finish the week on firmer ground.
What Helped Natural Gas Prices?Weather was one of the biggest factors. Temperatures were above average across much of the central and midwestern United States last week, supporting demand for cooling and electricity generation.
The latest government report also showed that only 30 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of gas was added to storage, below the five-year average build of 37 Bcf and last year’s 50 Bcf increase. Total working gas in storage was 3,214 Bcf, 5% above the five-year average but 2% below the year-ago level.
Demand from LNG export facilities also improved. LNG feedgas demand rose 12%, while the LNG-carrying capacity of vessels leaving U.S. ports increased to 123 Bcf from the previous week. However, U.S. gas supply also increased 1%, meaning supply remains plentiful.
Outlook: Reasons to Stay HopefulThe outlook for natural gas appears cautiously positive, although some challenges remain. U.S. production is still high, and inventories remain above their five-year seasonal average. However, the latest storage increase was smaller than both the five-year average and last year’s build, suggesting that demand is absorbing available supply at a healthier pace. Moreover, total storage is now below the year-ago level despite remaining above its five-year average.
For investors, this means the natural gas market may have room to improve if demand stays healthy and supply growth becomes less aggressive. The recent increase in LNG feedgas demand is particularly encouraging, while stronger LNG shipping activity could provide another source of support. Strong production could limit a sharp price rally, but healthy cooling demand, growing exports and smaller-than-normal storage additions could help keep prices supported. With the balance between supply and demand becoming more favorable, natural gas-focused investors can remain hopeful.
3 Stocks to Focus OnInvestors looking for exposure to this theme may consider Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stocks The Williams Companies, Range Resources and Expand Energy. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Williams Companies: Williams Companies is a natural gas infrastructure operator with businesses spanning transmission, gathering, processing, storage and related marketing. Its network is concentrated around major U.S. supply and demand centers, with Transco serving as a key pipeline corridor. The company also has large gathering positions in the Marcellus, Utica and Haynesville, which together account for most of its gathering volumes.
In the Haynesville, Williams is expanding its wellhead-to-market system, supported by gathering capacity, Gulf Coast connections and 120 Bcf of storage. Its assets are positioned to move gas toward power plants, industrial users and LNG export facilities, giving the company broad exposure to rising natural gas demand.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 earnings per share indicates 20% year-over-year growth. Williams Companies’ expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is 19.6%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 12.5%.
Range Resources: Range Resources is a natural gas-focused producer centered in Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Basin, with development led by its core Marcellus acreage in southwest Pennsylvania. The company controls about 450,000 net acres there and another 70,000 in northeast Pennsylvania. Its large, contiguous position supports efficient drilling and gives RRC more than 30 years of high-quality Marcellus inventory.
Range Resources sells natural gas into several markets rather than relying on one local outlet. Roughly 30% goes to the Midwest, while about 25% each reaches the Gulf Coast and LNG/premium Gulf markets, with the balance serving local and Northeast customers. This market reach supports its long-term gas production strategy.
Range Resources beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters. The natural gas producer has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 22.5%, on average.
Expand Energy: Expand Energy is North America’s largest natural gas producer, with about 2.0 million net acres and 2026 production near 7.5 Bcfe per day. Its operations span three main areas: Haynesville, northeast Appalachia and southwest Appalachia. These assets provide deep drilling inventory and place production close to major demand centers, while an interconnected transportation network helps move gas to higher-value markets.
The company is also building a broader natural gas platform beyond production. Its planned Twin Eagle acquisition would expand marketing, storage and firm transportation capabilities across North America. That combination is designed to connect Expand’s gas supply with power, industrial and LNG customers from coast to coast.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Expand Energy’s 2026 earnings per share indicates a 44.9% year-over-year improvement. The firm has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 7.2%, on average.
Key Takeaways Williams expands its Haynesville position with over 4,000 miles of pipeline and 6 Bcf/d of gathering capacity.Momentum adds take-or-pay pipelines and contracted assets that could support revenue visibility.The acquisition creates a growth platform alongside two announced expansion projects in the region. Williams Companies (WMB - Free Report) has completed its acquisition of Momentum Midstream in a transaction valued at approximately $5.5 billion. The deal marks a significant expansion of Williams’ natural gas infrastructure footprint in the Haynesville basin, positioning it to benefit from rising demand from liquefied natural gas (“LNG”), power generation and industrial customers along the Gulf Coast.
The transaction consists of approximately $3.5 billion in cash and debt consideration and roughly $2 billion of Williams’ equity. With the acquisition now closed, Williams gains a larger integrated platform in one of the most strategically important natural gas-producing regions in the United States.
Expanding Williams’ Haynesville FootprintMomentum’s assets significantly expand Williams’ gathering and transportation capabilities in the Haynesville. The acquired platform includes more than 4,000 miles of pipeline, over 1 million dedicated acres and approximately 6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of gathering capacity.
The assets also include multiple processing and treating facilities, along with three take-or-pay pipelines that have approximately 4.05 Bcf/d of transportation capacity.
This infrastructure gives Williams, a Tulsa, OK-based oil and gas storage and transportation company, additional opportunities to connect natural gas supplies with high-demand markets along the Gulf Coast. The strategic importance of these connections is increasing as LNG export capacity expands and electricity demand rises.
For Williams, the acquisition is therefore more than an expansion of its physical footprint. It provides additional infrastructure positioned between growing natural gas production and increasingly attractive demand centers.
LNG and Power Demand Offer Growth OpportunitiesThe U.S. natural gas market is entering a period of potentially strong demand growth. LNG exports are a key driver, while increasing electricity consumption is creating another source of demand for natural gas-fired generation.
The Gulf Coast is particularly important because it hosts a large concentration of LNG export infrastructure, industrial facilities and power generation assets. Williams’ expanded Haynesville platform can help move natural gas from producers toward these markets.
The company’s increased exposure to the Haynesville also creates opportunities to expand its infrastructure as demand develops. Williams noted that the transaction creates a growth platform in addition to two expansion projects that have already been announced.
This combination of existing infrastructure and potential future projects could provide Williams with additional avenues to increase earnings and cash flow over time.
Contracted Assets Add StabilityAnother important aspect of the transaction is Momentum’s customer base and contract structure. Williams highlighted the acquired platform’s high-quality customer base and durable take-or-pay contracts.
Take-or-pay arrangements can provide greater revenue visibility because customers generally commit to paying for a specified level of transportation or capacity, subject to contractual terms, even if they do not fully utilize the capacity.
That characteristic is particularly valuable for a midstream company. Unlike exploration and production companies, midstream operators generally benefit from fee-based contracts that can reduce direct exposure to commodity-price volatility.
The acquired contracts and infrastructure could therefore complement Williams’ existing portfolio while providing a foundation for future expansion.
Strategic Fit With Williams’ Natural Gas StrategyThe Momentum acquisition aligns closely with Williams’ broader strategy of expanding its natural gas infrastructure network. Williams operates a large network of gathering, processing, storage and transmission assets, giving it exposure to multiple stages of the natural gas value chain.
Adding Momentum’s Haynesville assets strengthens this integrated model. The expanded network can improve connectivity between producers and demand centers while potentially creating additional opportunities to develop new infrastructure.
WMB’s president and CEO Chad Zamarin said the acquisition establishes a premier Haynesville position and strengthens its ability to serve growing LNG, power and industrial demand along the Gulf Coast.
The company also expects the complementary infrastructure to provide a platform for advancing its natural gas-focused strategy and creating long-term shareholder value.
What Investors Should WatchFor investors, the key consideration will be Williams’ ability to translate the larger asset base into sustainable earnings and cash flow growth while maintaining a disciplined balance sheet.
The $5.5 billion transaction represents a substantial investment, making the performance of the acquired assets important to the company’s future returns. Investors should watch integration progress, utilization of gathering and transportation capacity, additional expansion opportunities and demand growth from LNG and power customers.
Overall, the Momentum acquisition strengthens Williams’ competitive position in the Haynesville and increases its exposure to structural growth in U.S. natural gas demand. The combination of extensive infrastructure, contracted capacity and access to Gulf Coast demand centers provides Williams with a broader platform for long-term growth.
WMB's Zacks Rank & Key PicksCurrently, WMB has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Investors interested in the energy sector might consider some better-ranked stocks, such as Par Pacific (PARR - Free Report) , Delek US Holdings (DK - Free Report) , both sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and Oceaneering International (OII - Free Report) , carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Par Pacific is valued at $4.02 billion. It is a diversified energy company that owns and operates petroleum refineries, logistics assets and retail fuel businesses across the United States. Par Pacific focuses on refining, transporting and marketing fuel products while serving regional markets with reliable energy solutions.
Delek US Holdings is valued at $4.38 billion. It is a diversified downstream energy company engaged in petroleum refining, renewable fuels, asphalt production and logistics operations. Delek US Holdings operates multiple refineries in the United States and is committed to delivering safe, reliable energy while investing in cleaner energy initiatives.
Oceaneering International is valued at $5.14 billion. It is a global technology and engineering company. Oceaneering International provides subsea robotics, offshore services, engineered products and advanced solutions to the energy, defense, aerospace and other industries.
TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Williams (NYSE: WMB) today announced it has closed its acquisition of Momentum Midstream in a transaction valued at approximately $5.5 billion, expanding the company's integrated natural gas infrastructure platform in the Haynesville to serve growing Gulf Coast LNG, power and industrial demand. The transaction includes approximately $3.5 billion of cash and debt consideration and roughly $2 billion of Williams' equity.
A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB - Free Report) . Shares have added about 5.2% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is The Williams Companies due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
Williams Companies Q2 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates, Increase Y/YThe Williams Companies reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of 50 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 52 cents. However, the bottom line increased from the year-ago period’s level of 46 cents, driven by better-than-expected performance of its Transmission, Power & Gulf, Northeast G&P and West segments.
The Tulsa, OK-based oil and gas storage and transportation company’s revenues of $3 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $2 million. The figure increased by 9.8% from the year-ago quarter’s reported revenues. This can be attributed to higher service revenues and increased product sales.
Adjusted EBITDA totaled $1.9 billion in the quarter under review, which was up 6% year over year. Cash flow from operations amounted to $1.4 billion, down 5.1% from the corresponding quarter of 2025.
Momentum Midstream AcquisitionWilliams Companies has agreed to acquire Momentum Midstream in a deal worth up to $5.5 billion, strengthening its Haynesville footprint and expanding its integrated natural gas infrastructure to meet rising Gulf Coast LNG, power and industrial demand. Momentum adds more than 4,000 miles of pipelines, 6 Bcf/d gathering capacity and key processing assets, with the deal expected to boost AFFO and EPS. Williams Companies also announced the Delta Aces and Shelby Trough Connector expansions, positioning the company to capture growing natural gas demand and enhance basin connectivity.
Q2 Segmental AnalysisTransmission, Power & Gulf: The segment reported an adjusted EBITDA of $959 million, up 6.2% from the year-ago quarter’s level. The increase was driven by contributions from projects placed in service, new Gulf volumes and higher storage revenues. However, the figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.5%.
Northeast G&P: Driven primarily by higher volumes at Ohio Valley Midstream and higher proportional EBITDA from Blue Racer Midstream and Bradford within Appalachia Midstream, this segment registered an adjusted EBITDA of $540 million. This represents a 7.8% increase from $501 million in the year-earlier quarter. It beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $518 million.
West: This segment focuses on the gathering and processing of assets in the Western United States. Adjusted EBITDA for this segment totaled $359 million, up 5.3% from the prior-year quarter’s level of $341 million. Strong results were fueled by Louisiana Energy Gateway, placed into service in third-quarter 2025, as well as higher gathering volumes, including contributions from the 2025 Rimrock and Saber acquisitions. However, the figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $389 million.
Gas & NGL Marketing Services: The segment posted a negative adjusted EBITDA of $1 million, narrowing down from the year-ago negative EBITDA of $15 million, resulting from higher gas marketing margins due to winter storms. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same was pegged at a negative $7.27 million.
Other: This segment posted an adjusted EBITDA of $64 million, representing a 17.9% decrease from $78 million in the year-earlier quarter, caused by unfavorable changes in net realized results from upstream operations, including the impact of the divested South Mansfield interests. However, the figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $57 million.
Costs, Capex & Balance SheetIn the reported quarter, total costs and expenses of $1.9 billion increased by about 2% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.
Total capital expenditure (capex) was $1.8 billion. As of June 30, 2026, WMB had cash and cash equivalents of $203 million and long-term debt of $28.1 billion, with a debt-to-capitalization of 64.7%.
2026 GuidanceWilliams Companies raised its 2026 guidance and now expects adjusted EBITDA of $8.3-$8.5 billion, with growth capital expenditures projected at $7.3-$7.9 billion. Factoring in the pro forma contribution from the Momentum Midstream acquisition over the past four quarters, the company expects its 2026 leverage ratio to be approximately 3.75x at the midpoint. The growth capex and debt-to-adjusted EBITDA guidance exclude certain reimbursable long-lead equipment costs.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates review.
VGM ScoresCurrently, The Williams Companies has a subpar Growth Score of D, a grade with the same score on the momentum front. Following the exact same course, the stock has a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Interestingly, The Williams Companies has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry PlayerThe Williams Companies belongs to the Zacks Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry. Another stock from the same industry, Kinder Morgan (KMI - Free Report) , has gained 2.3% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended June 2026.
Kinder Morgan reported revenues of $4.48 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +10.8%. EPS of $0.37 for the same period compares with $0.28 a year ago.
For the current quarter, Kinder Morgan is expected to post earnings of $0.33 per share, indicating a change of +13.8% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Kinder Morgan. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of C.
On CNBC’s “Mad Money Lightning Round,” Jim Cramer said he is not a big fan of Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) and likes HawkEye 360, Inc. (NYSE:HAWK), adding that the former is “too speculative.”
According to recent news, the company was selected on Tuesday for a $12 million contract to support the U.S. Space Force’s space data network consortium.
Jim Cramer said he likes Canadian Natural Resources Limited (NYSE:CNQ), adding that it’s “one of the better” oil and gas companies.
Lending support to his choice, Canadian Natural Resources, on Aug. 6, reported second-quarter earnings of $1.58 per share. It beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.40 per share. The company reported quarterly sales of $10.648 billion, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $9.320 billion.
Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) reported an “amazing” quarter and it is a “great spec,” Cramer said.
Trending
“I stuck with it, and I’m not leaving it,” he added. “I think it’s real good.”
Palantir reported upbeat second-quarter financial results on Aug. 3 and raised its FY26 sales guidance above estimates. Palantir reported second-quarter revenue of $1.94 billion, beating analyst estimates of $1.80 billion. The AI software company reported adjusted earnings of 41 cents per share for the quarter, beating estimates of 35 cents per share, according to Benzinga Pro.
Cramer said International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) is “very tough. I think it’s doing better than people think. It’s all the way down, but I have to tell you, I know that people hate this, even though I don’t think they should, and I have to keep that in mind.”
IBM, on July 22, reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results.
The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB) is “terrific,” Cramer said.
Supporting his view, Morgan Stanley analyst Robert Kad maintained Williams Companies with an Overweight rating on Aug. 18 and raised the price target from $99 to $103.
Price Action Rocket Lab shares fell 5.9% to settle at $68.28 on Monday. Canadian Natural Resources shares declined 1.4% to close at $50.68 during the session. Palantir dipped 2.3% to settle at $175.89 on Monday. Williams Companies shares gained 0.7% to close at $70.97. IBM shares fell 2% to settle at $231.04 on Monday. Read Next
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Many dividend stocks pulled back this year as fears of higher interest rates drove income-oriented investors back toward lower-risk CDs, bonds, and T-bills. But over the long term, most blue chip dividend stocks generate bigger total returns than fixed-income plays.
Three reliable dividend stocks worth buying today are Chevron (CVX -0.92%), ExxonMobil (XOM -0.84%), and The Williams Companies (WMB +0.75%). Let's see why these three energy plays will remain safe income stocks to buy, hold, and forget for at least the next decade.
Image source: Getty Images.
Chevron is one of the world's largest integrated energy companies. It owns upstream extraction facilities and downstream refineries, as well as midstream pipelines that transport its own resources. It has a presence in 180 countries, but it gets most of its oil from the U.S., Kazakhstan, and Australia. It's also expanding into new oil-rich regions like Guyana, and it's less exposed to the volatile Middle East market than many of its industry peers.
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Chevron's scale and diversification insulate it from major economic shocks, and it only needs the price of Brent crude (currently at $88 per barrel) to stay above $50 per barrel to generate enough cash to cover its capex and dividends through 2030. It also plans to increase its oil and gas production by 2%-3% annually through the end of the decade.
Chevron has raised its dividend annually for 39 consecutive years, and it will be crowned a Dividend King if it maintains that streak for 50 years. It pays a forward yield of 3.5%, and its low trailing payout ratio of 67% gives it plenty of room for future hikes.
ExxonMobil ExxonMobil is another massive integrated energy company that owns upstream, downstream, and midstream assets. It operates in over 56 countries, but it gets most of its oil from the Permian Basin in the United States. Like Chevron, ExxonMobil has also been expanding aggressively in Guyana and ramping up its oil production in Asia and Africa.
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ExxonMobil only needs Brent crude prices to remain above $35 per barrel to cover its capex and dividends. It aims to increase its oil and gas production by nearly 3% through 2030.
ExxonMobil has raised its dividend annually for 43 consecutive years, making it a future Dividend King, and it pays a forward yield of 2.5% with a low trailing payout ratio of 53%. It's notably more exposed to the Middle East conflicts than Chevron, but its growth in the Permian Basin, Guyana, and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market should offset that pressure.
The Williams Companies Williams is a midstream company that operates over 33,000 miles of pipeline across the United States. It mainly delivers natural gas through its pipelines, which sets it apart from many of its industry peers -- which typically transport a broader mix of crude oil, natural gas, and other resources.
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Williams transports about 30% of the country's natural gas, which powers nearly half of our domestic data centers, through its Transco pipelines between Texas and the Eastern Seaboard. That "superhighway" makes Williams more of an AI infrastructure play than many of its industry peers, and it's building "behind the meter" (BTM) sites at data centers to provide hyperscalers with a stable flow of natural gas that bypasses the bottlenecks at traditional utilities.
As a midstream company, Williams generates most of its revenue by collecting "tolls" from upstream and downstream companies, as well as utilities that use its infrastructure. That business model is well insulated from volatile commodity prices, and it generates plenty of cash to fund its dividends -- which it's raised annually for the past 10 years. It pays an attractive forward yield of nearly 3%, which is supported by a trailing payout ratio of 82%, and offers a balanced blend of growth and income.
Key Takeaways WMB could benefit from long-term U.S. gas demand growth and its network handling a third of U.S. natural gas.RRC pairs low-cost Marcellus production with diversified access to domestic, LNG and international demand.EXE is the largest U.S. natural gas producer, with 2026 EPS projected to improve 44.9% year over year. U.S. natural gas prices moved up slightly last week, but trading remained uneven. Hot weather increased electricity demand because more homes and businesses used air conditioning. That helped support natural gas use by power plants. However, very strong U.S. gas production and still-high storage levels prevented prices from rising sharply. Even with these pressures, natural gas finished the week with a small gain, giving investors some reason to stay hopeful about the outlook.
For now, investors may consider keeping an eye on natural gas-focused companies such as The Williams Companies (WMB - Free Report) , Range Resources (RRC - Free Report) and Expand Energy (EXE - Free Report) . These companies could benefit if natural gas demand strengthens and prices improve in the coming months.
Natural Gas Finishes the Week Higher
Natural gas prices were volatile last week as traders weighed strong U.S. production against weather-driven demand. Hot conditions in parts of the country supported electricity use for air conditioning, while a smaller-than-normal storage build also helped sentiment. However, record production and still-comfortable inventories limited the upside. Prices nevertheless ended the week on a firmer note, with Nymex natural gas settling at $2.773 per MMBtu on Friday. That left the contract with a 1.5% weekly gain, marking its second straight weekly advance.
What Could Help Prices Going Forward?
There are several reasons natural gas prices could receive support in the coming months. Hot weather is still increasing electricity demand in parts of the country. The latest weekly increase in stored natural gas was also smaller than normal, suggesting that stronger demand is limiting how quickly inventories are building.
Another positive factor is LNG exports. U.S. natural gas is converted into liquefied natural gas, or LNG, and shipped overseas. Export demand is expected to improve as maintenance at export facilities ends. If more U.S. gas is sent overseas, there will be less supply available in the domestic market. However, record U.S. production and above-normal storage remain important challenges.
Reasons to Stay Hopeful
Natural gas prices may remain volatile in the near term. Summer is ending, which means demand for air conditioning will gradually decline. At the same time, producers are still supplying large amounts of gas, while storage levels remain comfortable. These factors could limit any immediate price rally.
Still, the outlook is not entirely negative. LNG demand could improve, and colder weather later in the year should increase natural gas use for heating. If storage growth continues to slow while exports and winter demand strengthen, prices could improve from current levels. For investors, that means patience may be important, but there are reasons for cautious optimism.
3 Stocks to Focus on
Williams Companies, Range Resources and Expand Energy remain natural gas-focused stocks worth watching as the market heads toward fall and winter.
The Williams Companies: U.S. natural gas demand is projected to grow significantly in the long term, and The Williams Companies seems to be well-positioned to capitalize on the same, owing to its impressive portfolio of large-scale value-creating projects. With its extensive network handling a third of the U.S. natural gas and significant expansion projects in the pipeline, Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), Williams is set to benefit from favorable industry dynamics and growth prospects. You can seethe complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 earnings per share indicates 19.5% year-over-year growth. Williams Companies’ expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is 19.6%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 14%.
Range Resources: Range Resources is a pure-play Appalachian producer focused on natural gas, with a leading position in the Marcellus shale supported by decades of high-quality inventory. Its operations emphasize efficient development of contiguous acreage, enabling low-cost production and durable free cash flow. The company benefits from diversified market access, supplying natural gas and liquids to domestic, LNG and international demand centers.
Range Resources beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters. The natural gas producer, currently a #3 Ranked stock, has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 22.5%, on average.
Expand Energy: Expand Energy has emerged as the largest natural gas producer in the United States after completing the Chesapeake-Southwestern merger. With a strong footprint in the Haynesville and Marcellus basins, the company is well-positioned to benefit from rising natural gas demand fueled by LNG exports, growing AI and data-center power needs, EV adoption and broader electrification trends.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Expand Energy’s 2026 earnings per share indicates a 44.9% year-over-year improvement. The firm, with a Zacks Rank of 3, has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 7.2%, on average.
EP Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 22,347 shares of the pipeline company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,661,000.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Cynosure Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Williams Companies during the second quarter valued at approximately $647,000. Gabelli Funds LLC lifted its position in Williams Companies by 7.4% in the 4th quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 261,000 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $15,689,000 after acquiring an additional 17,900 shares in the last quarter. SIR Capital Management L.P. boosted its stake in Williams Companies by 40.0% during the 4th quarter. SIR Capital Management L.P. now owns 525,232 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $31,572,000 after purchasing an additional 150,032 shares during the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR boosted its stake in Williams Companies by 8.9% during the 4th quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 164,900 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $9,912,000 after purchasing an additional 13,438 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 56.3% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 57,550 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $3,459,000 after purchasing an additional 20,740 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.44% of the company’s stock.
Insider Activity at Williams Companies In other news, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 13,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.87, for a total transaction of $973,310.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 268,159 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $20,077,064.33. This represents a 4.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 17,000 shares of company stock worth $1,262,930. 0.47% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently weighed in on WMB shares. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $82.00 price target on shares of Williams Companies in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Barclays increased their price objective on Williams Companies from $73.00 to $75.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Williams Companies from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Williams Companies in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $89.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $85.60. Check Out Our Latest Report on WMB
Williams Companies Stock Performance WMB stock opened at $70.71 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a current ratio of 0.48 and a quick ratio of 0.43. Williams Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $56.08 and a 1 year high of $80.07. The company has a market cap of $86.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.58. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $73.38 and its 200-day moving average price is $73.13.
Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The pipeline company reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.50. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 18.49% and a net margin of 25.17%.The company had revenue of $3.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.83 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.46 earnings per share. Williams Companies’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Williams Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.350-2.350 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.45 earnings per share for the current year.
Williams Companies Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 11th will be given a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 83.67%.
Williams Companies News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Williams Companies this week:
Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target for Williams Companies to $103, signaling substantial potential upside from recent trading levels and providing a constructive counterpoint to the earnings estimate cuts. Morgan Stanley Increases Williams Companies Price Target to $103 Neutral Sentiment: The company’s latest reported quarter was solid: Williams earned $0.50 per share, matching consensus, while revenue of $3.05 billion exceeded expectations and increased 9.8% year over year. Its fee-based pipeline operations provide relatively stable cash flows. Negative Sentiment: US Capital Advisors lowered its EPS forecasts across several periods, including fourth-quarter 2026 EPS to $0.57 from $0.60, first-quarter 2027 EPS to $0.55 from $0.59, second-quarter 2027 EPS to $0.40 from $0.48, and third-quarter 2027 EPS to $0.50 from $0.55. Negative Sentiment: The firm also reduced its full-year 2027 EPS estimate to $2.07 from $2.28 and its 2028 forecast to $2.67 from $2.86. These revisions suggest analysts see weaker near- to medium-term earnings growth than previously expected and are likely the main reason the stock has decreased. Williams Companies Company Profile (Free Report)
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.
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Bank of New York Mellon Corp decreased its stake in shares of Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB – Free Report) by 3.2% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,789,163 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after selling 259,484 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp owned about 0.64% of Williams Companies worth $579,046,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in WMB. Main Street Group LTD bought a new stake in shares of Williams Companies in the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Motiv8 Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Williams Companies during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Allied Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Williams Companies in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd acquired a new position in Williams Companies during the second quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Clearstead Trust LLC boosted its stake in shares of Williams Companies by 62.2% in the fourth quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 485 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.44% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Williams Companies from $83.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, August 10th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce lifted their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $83.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “outperformer” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Williams Companies from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 8th. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Williams Companies in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Williams Companies from $81.00 to $87.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $85.60.
Check Out Our Latest Report on WMB Key Headlines Impacting Williams Companies Here are the key news stories impacting Williams Companies this week:
Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target for Williams Companies to $103, signaling substantial potential upside from recent trading levels and providing a constructive counterpoint to the earnings estimate cuts. Morgan Stanley Increases Williams Companies Price Target to $103 Neutral Sentiment: The company’s latest reported quarter was solid: Williams earned $0.50 per share, matching consensus, while revenue of $3.05 billion exceeded expectations and increased 9.8% year over year. Its fee-based pipeline operations provide relatively stable cash flows. Negative Sentiment: US Capital Advisors lowered its EPS forecasts across several periods, including fourth-quarter 2026 EPS to $0.57 from $0.60, first-quarter 2027 EPS to $0.55 from $0.59, second-quarter 2027 EPS to $0.40 from $0.48, and third-quarter 2027 EPS to $0.50 from $0.55. Negative Sentiment: The firm also reduced its full-year 2027 EPS estimate to $2.07 from $2.28 and its 2028 forecast to $2.67 from $2.86. These revisions suggest analysts see weaker near- to medium-term earnings growth than previously expected and are likely the main reason the stock has decreased. Insider Activity at Williams Companies In other Williams Companies news, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 13,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.87, for a total value of $973,310.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 268,159 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,077,064.33. The trade was a 4.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders have sold 17,000 shares of company stock worth $1,262,930 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.47% of the company’s stock.
Williams Companies Stock Performance NYSE:WMB opened at $70.71 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $73.38 and its 200-day simple moving average is $73.13. The company has a quick ratio of 0.43, a current ratio of 0.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83. The stock has a market cap of $86.49 billion, a PE ratio of 28.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.58. Williams Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $56.08 and a fifty-two week high of $80.07.
Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The pipeline company reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.50. The business had revenue of $3.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.83 billion. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 18.49% and a net margin of 25.17%.The company’s revenue was up 9.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.46 EPS. Williams Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.350-2.350 EPS. Analysts expect that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Williams Companies Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.525 per share. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 83.67%.
(Free Report)
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.
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Allworth Financial LP purchased a new position in shares of Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE: WMB) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 88,596 shares of the pipeline company's stock, valued at approximately $6,586,000. Several other
Shares of Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of “Buy” from the twenty ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, fifteen have assigned a buy recommendation and three have given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $85.60.
A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on WMB. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Williams Companies from $81.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Williams Companies from $99.00 to $103.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce upped their target price on Williams Companies from $83.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “outperformer” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. TD Cowen increased their price target on Williams Companies from $81.00 to $87.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Williams Companies from $89.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th.
Read Our Latest Research Report on WMB
Williams Companies Price Performance Shares of WMB opened at $71.86 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $87.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a current ratio of 0.48. Williams Companies has a one year low of $56.08 and a one year high of $80.07. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $73.40 and its 200-day moving average is $73.15. Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The pipeline company reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.50. The business had revenue of $3.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.83 billion. Williams Companies had a net margin of 25.17% and a return on equity of 18.49%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.46 earnings per share. Williams Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.350-2.350 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Williams Companies will post 2.48 EPS for the current year.
Williams Companies Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 83.67%.
Insider Transactions at Williams Companies In related news, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 13,000 shares of Williams Companies stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.87, for a total transaction of $973,310.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 268,159 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $20,077,064.33. The trade was a 4.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders sold 17,000 shares of company stock worth $1,262,930 over the last quarter. 0.47% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Williams Companies Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Williams Companies by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 133,963,343 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $8,052,537,000 after buying an additional 883,245 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 1.9% in the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 67,981,106 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $4,086,344,000 after buying an additional 1,296,991 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 4.8% in the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 46,053,873 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $2,768,298,000 after buying an additional 2,100,164 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its position in shares of Williams Companies by 11.0% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 33,572,067 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $2,018,017,000 after acquiring an additional 3,314,851 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in shares of Williams Companies by 43.4% during the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 33,097,208 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $2,460,446,000 after acquiring an additional 10,013,946 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.44% of the company’s stock.
(Get Free Report)
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.
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BOK Financial Private Wealth Inc. purchased a new stake in Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 7,018 shares of the pipeline company’s stock, valued at approximately $522,000.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Danske Bank A S bought a new position in Williams Companies in the second quarter worth approximately $4,135,000. Diversify Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Williams Companies in the 2nd quarter valued at $3,524,000. Gables Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Williams Companies in the 2nd quarter worth $51,000. Oxbow Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Williams Companies by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Oxbow Advisors LLC now owns 49,479 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $3,678,000 after acquiring an additional 1,129 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board purchased a new stake in shares of Williams Companies during the 2nd quarter worth $329,094,000. 86.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Insiders Place Their Bets In other Williams Companies news, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 13,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.87, for a total transaction of $973,310.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 268,159 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,077,064.33. The trade was a 4.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 17,000 shares of company stock valued at $1,262,930. Company insiders own 0.47% of the company’s stock.
Williams Companies Trading Up 2.5% Shares of Williams Companies stock opened at $75.25 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $73.38 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $73.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a current ratio of 0.48. Williams Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $55.82 and a fifty-two week high of $80.07. The company has a market cap of $92.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.59. Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The pipeline company reported $0.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.50. The company had revenue of $3.05 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.83 billion. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 18.49% and a net margin of 25.17%.Williams Companies’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.46 earnings per share. Williams Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.350-2.350 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Williams Companies Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be given a dividend of $0.525 per share. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 11th. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio is 83.67%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades WMB has been the subject of several analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Williams Companies from $89.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Williams Companies in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Williams Companies from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 8th. TD Cowen upped their price target on Williams Companies from $81.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Williams Companies from $73.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Williams Companies currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $85.60.
Get Our Latest Analysis on WMB
Williams Companies Profile (Free Report)
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.
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Assenagon Asset Management S.A. reduced its holdings in shares of Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB – Free Report) by 92.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 58,738 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after selling 733,339 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A.’s holdings in Williams Companies were worth $4,367,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of WMB. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Williams Companies during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $747,749,000. BROOKFIELD Corp ON boosted its position in shares of Williams Companies by 190.3% in the 2nd quarter. BROOKFIELD Corp ON now owns 12,028,186 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $755,490,000 after purchasing an additional 7,884,730 shares in the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC boosted its position in shares of Williams Companies by 21.3% in the 4th quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 21,325,482 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $1,281,875,000 after purchasing an additional 3,748,126 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Williams Companies by 295.7% in the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,446,915 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $268,723,000 after buying an additional 3,323,012 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley grew its stake in shares of Williams Companies by 11.0% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 33,572,067 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $2,018,017,000 after buying an additional 3,314,851 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.44% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have issued reports on WMB. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Williams Companies from $85.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of Williams Companies in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Citigroup lifted their price target on Williams Companies from $81.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Williams Companies in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Williams Companies from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $84.12.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on WMB
Insider Buying and Selling In other news, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.65, for a total transaction of $141,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 281,159 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $19,863,883.35. The trade was a 0.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP Glen G. Jasek sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.15, for a total transaction of $195,375.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 54,101 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,227,993.15. This trade represents a 4.42% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 6,500 shares of company stock valued at $484,995 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.47% of the company’s stock.
Williams Companies Stock Up 1.9% WMB stock opened at $73.70 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $90.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.36, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a current ratio of 0.48 and a quick ratio of 0.43. Williams Companies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $55.82 and a 1-year high of $80.07. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $73.19 and a 200-day moving average price of $72.82.
Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The pipeline company reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.50. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 18.49% and a net margin of 25.17%.The company had revenue of $3.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.83 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.46 EPS. Williams Companies’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. Williams Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.350-2.350 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Williams Companies Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 11th will be paid a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. Williams Companies’s payout ratio is currently 83.67%.
Key Williams Companies News Here are the key news stories impacting Williams Companies this week:
Positive Sentiment: RBC Capital initiated or reiterated a Buy rating on Williams, signaling expectations for further share-price appreciation. Williams Co (WMB) Receives a Buy from RBC Capital Positive Sentiment: Truist Financial raised its price target for WMB to $88 from $84 and maintained a Buy rating, implying meaningful upside from recent trading levels. Benzinga Williams price target report Positive Sentiment: Williams’ planned acquisition of Momentum Midstream, valued at up to approximately $5.5 billion, and its partnership with Blackstone are expected to expand pipeline infrastructure, earnings and long-term cash flow. The company is also pursuing growth opportunities tied to power demand. Williams Q2 2026 earnings call transcript Positive Sentiment: Recent results provided support for the bullish view: Williams met quarterly EPS expectations at $0.50, exceeded revenue estimates with $3.05 billion, and increased revenue year over year. Fresh attention to natural-gas flows may also benefit the company’s extensive midstream network. Natural gas flows and Williams Neutral Sentiment: Zacks identified WMB as one of the pipeline stocks positioned to withstand industry headwinds, although conservative upstream capital spending creates uncertainty for sector-wide volume growth. Pipeline stocks facing industry headwinds Negative Sentiment: Despite a roughly 2.9-times five-year return, valuation measures suggest WMB trades at a premium, limiting its appeal as a bargain and raising the risk that much of the positive outlook is already reflected in the stock. Williams stock trades at a premium Williams Companies Profile (Free Report)
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.
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Unlike exploration and production operations, the midstream energy space is generally less vulnerable to fluctuations in oil and natural gas prices. Despite this, the outlook for the Zacks Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry is gloomy, primarily due to the conservative spending of upstream companies, which is likely to continue hurting the demand for transportation and storage assets.
Players in the industry like Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI - Free Report) , The Williams Companies Inc. (WMB - Free Report) and MPLX LP (MPLX - Free Report) are well-positioned to sail through the prevailing uncertainties.
About the Industry The Zacks Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry comprises companies that own and operate midstream energy infrastructure assets. The properties consist of extensive pipeline networks that transport crude oil, liquids and natural gas. The midstream energy players are also involved in the processing and storing of natural gas. The companies have interests in natural gas distribution utilities, serving millions of retail customers across North America. Some companies are ramping up investments in renewable energy and power transmission businesses. The firms invested in wind farms, solar energy operations, geothermal projects and hydroelectric facilities. Thus, with a diversified portfolio of renewable energy projects, the firms have room to generate extra cash flows in addition to stable fee-based revenues from transportation assets.
What's Shaping the Future of Oil & Gas - Production & Pipelines Industry? High Debt Load: The industry is inherently capital-intensive, as evident from the debt-to-capitalization ratio of 58.54%, where borrowing is a common practice to finance large infrastructure projects. However, elevated leverage can constrain financial flexibility, hindering midstream energy companies' capacity to invest in new developments, navigate economic downturns, or address unforeseen costs.
Shift to Renewables: Energy majors will increasingly face challenges in providing sustainable energy to the world while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To address the issues of climate change, there will be a gradual shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This will lower the demand for the partnerships’ pipeline and storage networks for oil and natural gas.
Explorers’ Conservative Capital Spending: Oil and gas exploration and production companies are facing heightened pressure from investors to focus on stockholders’ returns rather than production. This is hindering the production growth of commodities, thereby denting the demand for pipeline and storage assets.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Gloomy Prospects The Zacks Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines is a 10-stock group within the broader Zacks Oil - Energy sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #182, which places it in the bottom 26% of more than 250 Zacks industries.
The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates bleak near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Although the prospects remain unfavorable, we present a few stocks that investors can retain or keep an eye on, given their solid potential. But before that, let us take a look at the industry’s recent stock market performance and its current valuation.
Industry Lags S&P 500 & Sector The Zacks Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry has underperformed the Zacks S&P 500 Composite and the broader Zacks Oil - Energy sector over the past year.
The industry has jumped 17.9% over this period compared with the 22.6% surge of the S&P 500 and the 31.9% surge of the broader sector.
One-Year Price Performance
Industry's Current Valuation Based on the trailing 12-month enterprise value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA), a commonly used multiple for valuing oil and gas production and pipeline stocks, the industry is currently trading at 14.64X, lower than the S&P 500’s 18.09X. It is, however, above the sector’s trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA of 6.00X.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 15.61X, as low as 10.27X and at a median of 13.18X.
Trailing 12-Month Enterprise Value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) Ratio
3 Oil & Gas Pipeline Stocks Well Poised to Gain Kinder Morgan: The company is a North American midstream energy major, deriving stable fee-based revenues. KMI has a strong growth potential from the increasing liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand across the globe. This is because Kinder Morgan, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), is responsible for transporting almost 40% of the natural gas that is being supplied to the LNG export facilities of the United States.
Price and Consensus: KMI
MPLX: MPLX’s midstream business comprises transporting crude oil and refined products. The partnership, carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), generates stable cash flows from its long-term contracts with the shippers. Its crude oil and natural gas gathering systems also generate stable fee-based revenues.
Price and Consensus: MPLX
The Williams Companies: The company is also a leading midstream player, well-positioned to capitalize on increasing clean energy demand. This is because WMB has a massive network of natural gas transportation pipelines that transport roughly 33% of the total natural gas used in the United States.
With a Zacks Rank of 3 at present, The Williams Companies also serves the rising power demand from the expanding data centers. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
First Bank & Trust lowered its position in Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB – Free Report) by 16.6% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 45,864 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after selling 9,159 shares during the period. First Bank & Trust’s holdings in Williams Companies were worth $3,410,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of WMB. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in Williams Companies by 40.9% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 13,680 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $740,000 after purchasing an additional 3,969 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Williams Companies by 5.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,635 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $291,000 after buying an additional 242 shares in the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 2.1% in the second quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 568,928 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $35,734,000 after buying an additional 11,926 shares during the last quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC raised its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 3.0% in the second quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC now owns 10,248 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $644,000 after buying an additional 296 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ieq Capital LLC lifted its position in Williams Companies by 160.1% during the 2nd quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 165,035 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $10,366,000 after buying an additional 101,574 shares in the last quarter. 86.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades WMB has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 price objective on shares of Williams Companies in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $78.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $88.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 1st. Scotiabank increased their price target on shares of Williams Companies from $85.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. Finally, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce raised their price target on shares of Williams Companies from $83.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an “outperformer” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 26th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $83.88.
Read Our Latest Report on Williams Companies
Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, SVP Glen G. Jasek sold 2,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $78.15, for a total value of $195,375.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 54,101 shares in the company, valued at $4,227,993.15. This trade represents a 4.42% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, COO Larry C. Larsen sold 12,000 shares of Williams Companies stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.48, for a total value of $917,760.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 98,219 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,511,789.12. This trade represents a 10.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 18,500 shares of company stock valued at $1,402,755. Company insiders own 0.47% of the company’s stock.
Williams Companies Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:WMB opened at $71.70 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83. Williams Companies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $55.82 and a 1-year high of $80.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $87.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 0.59. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $73.13 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $72.69.
Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The pipeline company reported $0.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.50. Williams Companies had a net margin of 25.17% and a return on equity of 18.49%. The company had revenue of $3.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.83 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.46 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. Williams Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.350-2.350 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.3 earnings per share for the current year.
Williams Companies Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 11th will be paid a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 83.67%.
Williams Companies Profile (Free Report)
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.
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Oil Could Dip, But These 3 Energy Stocks Still Look Built to WinWilliams Companies NYSE: WMB reported higher second-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization as growth in its transmission, Gulf Coast, Northeast gathering and processing, and Haynesville-related businesses offset a decline in its upstream segment.
Second-quarter 2026 EBITDA rose 6% year over year to $1.92 billion from $1.8 billion, Chief Financial Officer John Porter said. Year-to-date EBITDA was up 10%. The company also raised its full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance to a range of $8.3 billion to $8.5 billion, reflecting stronger base-business performance and the expected contribution from its acquisition of Momentum Midstream.
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Power Innovation Project Reaches Initial Service MarketBeat Week in Review – 05/04 - 05/08President and Chief Executive Officer Chad Zamarin said Williams placed Phase 1 of its Socrates Power Innovation project into service last week, delivering 200 megawatts of utility-scale power to a customer. The phase was completed on time and within budget in less than 18 months from commercialization, according to Zamarin.
Williams expects to deliver the next Socrates phase before year-end. Chief Operating Officer Larry Larsen said the first phase’s commissioning and load testing proceeded smoothly, with the facility delivering initial power and expected to ramp toward full capacity during the month.
How Williams Companies Is Cashing in on the AI Power BoomThe company is using Socrates as a proof point for its behind-the-meter power strategy, which is aimed at serving data-center and other power demand. Zamarin said Williams remains in discussions with multiple customers and expects to commercialize additional Power Innovation projects before the end of 2026.
Management said its future projects could incorporate a combination of rapid deployment, greater scale and hybrid structures designed to support grid expansion. Williams is focusing on locations within its footprint and in areas where infrastructure development can be advanced more readily, Zamarin said.
Blackstone Partnership Provides Capital Capacity Williams established a Power Innovation financing joint venture with Blackstone that provides $5.34 billion of committed capital. The arrangement includes $4.4 billion for 49% of expected total growth capital expenditures and more than $900 million of additional consideration to Williams, Porter said.
Porter said the capital carries a capped 6.35% cost of equity while allowing Williams to retain operatorship, key decision-making authority and upside participation in the platform. The partnership also includes a buyout option beginning in 2033 at the remaining partner investment balance.
According to Porter, the additional consideration improves the ratio of cash flow Williams expects from its five current Power Innovation projects to invested capital by about 56% over the primary contract terms. The calculation excludes potential additional upside during and after those terms.
Williams expects year-end leverage of about 3.9 times debt to EBITDA, based on an assumed three months of Momentum contribution. On a full-year run-rate basis, Porter said leverage would be about 3.75 times, leaving more than $2 billion of incremental capacity under the company’s internal 4-times leverage ceiling for additional near-term Power Innovation projects.
Momentum Acquisition Expands Haynesville Position Williams announced the $5.5 billion acquisition of Momentum Midstream, funded with $3.5 billion in cash and debt and $2 billion of equity. Zamarin described the transaction as an accretive bolt-on acquisition with an approximate 8.5-times multiple based on consolidated EBITDA. He said the multiple is about nine times when considering the effect of noncontrolling interests.
The deal adds roughly 6 billion cubic feet per day of gathering capacity and more than 4 Bcf per day of take-or-pay pipeline capacity in East Texas and Louisiana, including the growing Shelby Trough area of the western Haynesville. Williams said the acquisition complements its Haynesville Gathering operations, Louisiana Energy Gateway pipeline and Transco Gulf Coast system.
Management did not quantify anticipated operating or cost synergies, but Zamarin said the overlapping asset footprints should create operational benefits. He also pointed to growth opportunities from existing dedicated customers, new customers and expansion projects.
Williams announced two projects alongside the acquisition:
Shelby Connector: An expansion linking Momentum’s gathering footprint to the Louisiana Energy Gateway system. The project has initial customer commitments of up to 750 million cubic feet per day, is targeted for first-half 2028 service, and could be expanded to 1.5 Bcf per day. Delta Access: A fully contracted pipeline project running from the combined Momentum and Williams systems toward LNG and power customers along the Transco corridor. It is planned with initial capacity of 2.25 Bcf per day, targeted for early 2029 service, and could expand to 3.5 Bcf per day. Zamarin said the projects fit within Williams’ targeted build-return range and are expected to further improve the acquisition multiple over time.
Transmission and Gulf Coast Operations Lead Quarterly Growth Transmission and Gulf EBITDA increased $56 million, or about 6%, from the prior-year quarter, led by 23% growth in the company’s Gulf businesses. Porter attributed that performance to recent Gulf expansion projects, while natural gas storage EBITDA also rose 23%.
Williams also reported growth from Transco and MountainWest Pipeline expansion projects. Northeast gathering and processing EBITDA increased $39 million, or 8%, mainly due to rich-gas areas. The West segment grew $18 million, or about 5%, driven by Haynesville investments including Louisiana Energy Gateway.
Sequent marketing performed modestly better than a year earlier, although Porter noted that the second quarter typically presents lower seasonal opportunities. The company’s other segment declined about $14 million, largely due to the January 2026 divestiture of upstream Haynesville assets.
Williams raised its long-term EBITDA growth target to more than 11% compounded annually through 2030, from its prior target of more than 10%. Porter said the updated target reflects Momentum and newly announced projects, while excluding commercialization of additional power and pipeline opportunities. Management said it remains conservative regarding growth assumptions in certain legacy businesses, including the Northeast segment.
About Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB)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.
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Key Takeaways Williams Companies posted higher Q2 earnings and revenues year over year despite missing analyst estimates.WMB agreed to buy Momentum Midstream for up to $5.5B to expand its natural gas infrastructure.WMB raised 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance to $8.3-$8.5B and forecast growth capex of $7.3-$7.9B. The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of 50 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 52 cents. However, the bottom line increased from the year-ago period’s level of 46 cents, driven by better-than-expected performance of its Transmission, Power & Gulf, Northeast G&P and West segments.
The Tulsa, OK-based oil and gas storage and transportation company’s revenues of $3 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $2 million. The figure increased by 9.8% from the year-ago quarter’s reported revenues. This can be attributed to higher service revenues and increased product sales.
Adjusted EBITDA totaled $1.9 billion in the quarter under review, which was up 6% year over year. Cash flow from operations amounted to $1.4 billion, down 5.1% from the corresponding quarter of 2025.
WMB’s Momentum Midstream AcquisitionWilliams Companies has agreed to acquire Momentum Midstream in a deal worth up to $5.5 billion, strengthening its Haynesville footprint and expanding its integrated natural gas infrastructure to meet rising Gulf Coast LNG, power and industrial demand. Momentum adds more than 4,000 miles of pipelines, 6 Bcf/d gathering capacity and key processing assets, with the deal expected to boost AFFO and EPS. Williams Companies also announced the Delta Aces and Shelby Trough Connector expansions, positioning the company to capture growing natural gas demand and enhance basin connectivity.
WMB’s Q2 Segmental AnalysisTransmission, Power & Gulf: The segment reported an adjusted EBITDA of $959 million, up 6.2% from the year-ago quarter’s level. The increase was driven by contributions from projects placed in service, new Gulf volumes and higher storage revenues. However, the figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.5%.
Northeast G&P: Driven primarily by higher volumes at Ohio Valley Midstream and higher proportional EBITDA from Blue Racer Midstream and Bradford within Appalachia Midstream, this segment registered an adjusted EBITDA of $540 million. This represents a 7.8% increase from $501 million in the year-earlier quarter. It beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $518 million.
West: This segment focuses on the gathering and processing of assets in the Western United States. Adjusted EBITDA for this segment totaled $359 million, up 5.3% from the prior-year quarter’s level of $341 million. Strong results were fueled by Louisiana Energy Gateway, placed into service in third-quarter 2025, as well as higher gathering volumes, including contributions from the 2025 Rimrock and Saber acquisitions. However, the figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $389 million.
Gas & NGL Marketing Services: The segment posted a negative adjusted EBITDA of $1 million, narrowing down from the year-ago negative EBITDA of $15 million, resulting from higher gas marketing margins due to winter storms. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same was pegged at a negative $7.27 million.
Other: This segment posted an adjusted EBITDA of $64 million, representing a 17.9% decrease from $78 million in the year-earlier quarter, caused by unfavorable changes in net realized results from upstream operations, including the impact of the divested South Mansfield interests. However, the figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $57 million.
WMB’s Costs, Capex & Balance SheetIn the reported quarter, total costs and expenses of $1.9 billion increased by about 2% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.
Total capital expenditure (capex) was $1.8 billion. As of June 30, 2026, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company had cash and cash equivalents of $203 million and long-term debt of $28.1 billion, with a debt-to-capitalization of 64.7%.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
WMB’s 2026 GuidanceWilliams Companies raised its 2026 guidance and now expects adjusted EBITDA of $8.3-$8.5 billion, with growth capital expenditures projected at $7.3-$7.9 billion. Factoring in the pro forma contribution from the Momentum Midstream acquisition over the past four quarters, the company expects its 2026 leverage ratio to be approximately 3.75x at the midpoint. The growth capex and debt-to-adjusted EBITDA guidance exclude certain reimbursable long-lead equipment costs.
Important Earnings at a GlanceWhile we have discussed WMB’s second-quarter results in detail, let us take a look at three other key reports in this space.
Expand Energy Corporation (EXE - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of $1.33, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.22. The company’s bottom line increased from the year-ago adjusted profit of $1.10 per share, fueled by strong production and lower operating expenses.
Expand Energy’s ‘natural gas, oil and NGL’ revenues of $1.8 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2 billion. The top line was also below the year-ago figure of $2 billion.
As of June 30, 2026, the company had $663 million in cash and cash equivalents. Expand Energy had a long-term debt of $3.7 billion, reflecting a debt-to-capitalization of 16%.
NOV Inc. (NOV - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 31 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 16 cents. The bottom line also increased 6.9% from the year-ago quarter’s 29 cents, driven by outperformance of the Energy Equipment segment.
The oil and gas equipment and services company’s total revenues of $2.1 billion beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $39 million. However, NOV’s revenues fell 2.5% from the year-ago quarter’s figure of $2.2 billion due to lower year-over-year revenues from the Energy Products and Services segment.
As of June 30, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $1.2 billion and long-term debt of $1.7 billion with a debt-to-capitalization of 21.3%.
Core Laboratories Inc. (CLB - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 11 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 8 cents, driven by outperformance of the Production Enhancement segment. However, the bottom line decreased from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure of 19 cents due to the underperformance of the Reservoir Description segment and increased costs and expenses.
This oilfield service provider reported second-quarter operating revenues of $124.6 million, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $128 million and decreasing from the earlier-year quarter’s reported figure of $130.1 million. This can be attributed to military conflicts in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine region, which disrupted energy infrastructure, delaying projects, disrupting crude oil trade and reducing demand for the company's international laboratory services.
As of June 30, 2026, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $22.7 million and long-term debt of $113.9 million. CLB’s debt-to-capitalization was about 29%.
Key Takeaways WMB gains 4,000 pipeline miles, 1M dedicated acres and 6 Bcf/d of gathering capacity.Williams expects Momentum to be accretive, with about 46% of EBITDA from take-or-pay assets.WMB adds Delta Access and Shelby Connector, but returns depend on integration and execution. The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB - Free Report) is using its planned Momentum Midstream acquisition to deepen its Haynesville exposure and extend its Gulf Coast growth runway. The transaction is valued at up to $5.5 billion.
Williams also raised its 2025-2030 adjusted EBITDA and EPS growth target to more than 11% annually. The investor question is whether Momentum can support that pace without adding too much financial or execution risk.
Image Source: The Williams Companies
WMB Gains a Bigger Haynesville FootprintMomentum adds more than 4,000 miles of pipeline, over 1 million dedicated acres and 6 Bcf/d of gathering capacity. It also brings 4.05 Bcf/d of take-or-pay pipeline capacity across three pipelines.
That scale expands Williams’ position in the Haynesville, where its infrastructure can connect production with Gulf Coast LNG, power and industrial demand. The combination also broadens the company’s exposure to East Texas and Louisiana supply growth.
Williams Adds More Predictable Cash FlowsMomentum’s earnings profile is predominantly fee based, with fixed-fee arrangements and take-or-pay contracts supporting cash-flow visibility. Williams said about 46% of Momentum’s EBITDA comes from take-or-pay assets.
The company expects the transaction to be accretive to both earnings per share and available funds from operations per share. That matters because the acquired cash flows are intended to add growth without relying primarily on commodity-price upside.
WMB Unlocks Two New Pipeline ProjectsDelta Access is a fully contracted 2.25 Bcf/d transmission project along the Transco corridor, with expansion potential to 3.5 Bcf/d. Williams expects the project to enter service in early 2029 and serve LNG and power customers along the Louisiana Gulf Coast.
Shelby Connector will add 750 MMcf/d of initial capacity, expandable to 1.5 Bcf/d, and is expected in service in the second quarter of 2028. The project links the Shelby Trough to Williams’ Louisiana Energy Gateway system and then into Transco.
Image Source: The Williams Companies
Kinder Morgan(KMI - Free Report) is also pursuing natural gas pipeline expansions aimed at serving rising power and LNG demand. Energy Transfer (ET - Free Report) expects to invest $5-$5.5 billion in 2026 growth capital, primarily on projects enhancing its natural gas network.
Williams Still Must Prove the Deal EconomicsWilliams values Momentum at roughly 8.5X projected 2027 EBITDA and expects that multiple to compress as growth and synergies develop. The company has not quantified those synergies, leaving execution as a key part of the return case.
The balance sheet adds another consideration. Debt-to-capitalization stood at 64.7% at the end of the second quarter, while 2026 growth capital spending is expected at $7.3-$7.9 billion. Slower growth, weaker-than-expected synergies or integration problems could reduce the acquisition’s expected returns.
WMB’s Hold Signal Keeps Expectations in CheckMomentum strengthens Williams’ natural gas platform and adds contracted expansion opportunities, but the economics still depend on timely integration, project execution and disciplined capital deployment. The higher long-term growth target raises the bar for delivery through 2030.
WMB currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), with a Value Score of D, Growth Score of D, Momentum Score of D and VGM Score of F. Those scores indicate weaker characteristics across the individual styles and the combined VGM framework, while the Hold rank keeps the near-term stance balanced rather than signaling a high-conviction buy.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB) Q2 2026 Earnings Call August 4, 2026 9:30 AM EDT
Company Participants
Caroline Sardella
Chad Zamarin - CEO, President & Director
John Porter - Executive VP & CFO
Larry Larsen - Executive VP & COO
Robert Wingo - Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategic Development
Conference Call Participants
Praneeth Satish - Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division
Jeremy Tonet - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Spiro Dounis - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
Ameet Thakkar - BMO Capital Markets Equity Research
John Mackay - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Jason Gabelman - TD Cowen, Research Division
Julien Dumoulin-Smith - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Gabe Daoud - Truist Securities, Inc., Research Division
Robert Catellier - CIBC Capital Markets, Research Division
Manav Gupta - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good day, everyone, and welcome to the Williams Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. Today's conference is being recorded.
At this time, for opening remarks and introductions, I would like to turn the call over to Mrs. Caroline Sardella, Director of Investor Relations. Please go ahead.
Caroline Sardella
Thank you, and good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us and for your interest in Williams. Yesterday afternoon, we released our earnings press release and the presentation that our President and CEO, Chad Zamarin; and our Chief Financial Officer, John Porter will speak to you this morning. Also joining us on the call today are Larry Larsen, our Chief Operating Officer; and Rob Wingo, our Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategic Development.
In our presentation materials, you'll find a disclaimer related to forward-looking statements. This disclaimer is important and integral to our remarks, so please review it. Also included in the presentation materials are non-GAAP measures that we reconciled with generally accepted accounting principles. These reconciliation schedules appear at the back of today's presentation materials.
Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.5 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.52 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.46 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -3.85%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this pipeline operator would post earnings of $0.65 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.73, delivering a surprise of +12.31%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates just once.
The Williams Companies, which belongs to the Zacks Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry, posted revenues of $3.05 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $2.78 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
The Williams Companies shares have added about 19% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 9.4%.
What's Next for The Williams Companies?While The Williams Companies has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for The Williams Companies was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.56 on $3.19 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $2.35 on $12.82 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines is currently in the bottom 26% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
South Bow Corporation (SOBO - Free Report) , another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 5.
This company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.45 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +7.1%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.6% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.
South Bow Corporation's revenues are expected to be $516.13 million, down 1.5% from the year-ago quarter.
For the quarter ended June 2026, Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB - Free Report) reported revenue of $3.05 billion, up 9.8% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.50, compared to $0.46 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.08 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.52, the EPS surprise was -3.85%.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how The Williams Companies performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Northeast G&P - Gathering volumes: 4.16 Bcf/D compared to the 4.14 Bcf/D average estimate based on two analysts.West - NGL equity sales: 14 millions of barrels of oil versus 7.3 millions of barrels of oil estimated by two analysts on average.West - Gathering volumes: 6.03 Bcf/D versus 6.37 Bcf/D estimated by two analysts on average.Adjusted EBITDA- Other: $64 million versus $56.69 million estimated by three analysts on average.Adjusted EBITDA- Northeast G&P: $540 million versus $518.1 million estimated by three analysts on average.Adjusted EBITDA- Transmission, Power & Gulf: $959 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $983.96 million.Adjusted EBITDA- Gas & NGL Marketing Services: $-1 million versus $-7.27 million estimated by three analysts on average.Adjusted EBITDA- West: $359 million versus $389.27 million estimated by three analysts on average.Modified EBITDA- Transmission, Power & Gulf: $959 million compared to the $993.94 million average estimate based on two analysts.Modified EBITDA- West: $359 million versus $382.41 million estimated by two analysts on average.Modified EBITDA- Northeast G&P: $540 million compared to the $522.65 million average estimate based on two analysts.View all Key Company Metrics for The Williams Companies here>>>
Shares of The Williams Companies have returned -2.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Pipeline company Williams said on Monday it would buy Momentum Midstream, as it bets on growing demand from LNG export facilities, power generation and industrial users along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- EnCap Flatrock Midstream (“EnCap Flatrock”) today announced the execution of definitive agreements to sell Momentum Midstream (“Momentum,” “M6,” or the “Company”), a leading independent midstream energy company of which EnCap Flatrock is a financial sponsor, to The Williams Companies, Inc. (“Williams”) (NYSE: WMB) for up to $5.5 billion.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions. Transaction consideration consists of $3.5 billion in cash and debt consideration and roughly $2.0 billion of Williams equity.
Headquartered in Houston, M6 operates a premier, large-scale natural gas system representing the next generation of Gulf Coast infrastructure. The Company’s assets include over 4,000 miles of gathering and transmission pipelines supported by more than 1 million dedicated acres delivering critically important natural gas to key Gulf Coast regions including the Bethel, Carthage and Silsbee hubs in east Texas and the Gillis hub in southwest Louisiana. M6’s assets provide approximately 6 Bcf/d of system capacity to over 140 customers including 34 industrial end-users, 26 power plants, 16 city gates and 10 LNG facilities.
In September 2022, M6 completed the acquisition of two natural gas gathering and transmission assets, both in the Haynesville Shale. The Company also announced final investment decision (“FID”) on its New Generation Gas Gathering (“NG3”) project, which spans 255 miles providing 1.75 Bcf/d of gas deliverability to Gillis, Louisiana, an aggregation and dispatch hub for U.S. LNG demand. NG3 also includes a state-of-the-art carbon capture and sequestration program, the first of its kind, capable of handling up to 1.8 million tons per annum of CO2. In April 2025, M6 closed on its acquisition of Clearfork Midstream, completing the Company’s transformation into a leading wellhead-to-market natural gas midstream platform located in the epicenter of U.S. natural gas demand growth.
“In 2022, we set out with a strategy to build a premier natural gas gathering and transmission system to serve growing demand along the Gulf Coast, and because of the efforts of our incredible team, we’ve done just that,” said Momentum Chief Executive Officer Frank Tsuru. “This sale validates our thesis that demand for U.S. hydrocarbons domestically and abroad will continue to grow and assets like what we’ve built at M6 are critical to meet that need.”
“The sale of M6 is one of the most significant private midstream transactions in the U.S., producing strong results for our investors,” said EnCap Flatrock Founder Billy Lemmons. “This would not have been possible without the talented and professional team at Momentum. From Momentum’s executive leadership to their field personnel, their execution of the commercialization, buildout and safe operation of such a sizeable gas gathering and transmission complex was an incredible accomplishment.”
Advisors
Barclays and Jefferies LLC served as exclusive financial advisors to M6, and Kirkland & Ellis served as legal counsel to M6. Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP acted as legal counsel to EnCap Flatrock.
About EnCap Flatrock Midstream
EnCap Flatrock Midstream provides value-added growth capital to proven management teams focused on midstream infrastructure opportunities across North America. The firm was formed in 2008 by a partnership between EnCap Investments L.P. and Flatrock Energy Advisors, LLC. Based in San Antonio with an office in Houston, the firm has raised five institutional investment funds totaling nearly $10 billion from a broad group of prestigious investors. EnCap Flatrock Midstream is currently making commitments to new management teams from its latest flagship fund, EFM V. For more information, please visit efmidstream.com.
BankChampaign National Association purchased a new position in Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB – Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 12,335 shares of the pipeline company’s stock, valued at approximately $898,000.
Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 2.4% in the fourth quarter. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC now owns 6,000 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $361,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in Williams Companies by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 15,309 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $920,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares during the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 12,646 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $760,000 after buying an additional 149 shares during the period. Great Diamond Partners LLC increased its stake in Williams Companies by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Great Diamond Partners LLC now owns 34,870 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $2,096,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. Finally, First Horizon Corp increased its position in shares of Williams Companies by 3.7% during the first quarter. First Horizon Corp now owns 4,220 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $307,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.44% of the company’s stock.
Williams Companies Stock Performance WMB opened at $70.97 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $73.58 and its 200 day moving average price is $72.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $86.70 billion, a PE ratio of 31.13, a PEG ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.57. Williams Companies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $55.82 and a twelve month high of $80.07.
Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 4th. The pipeline company reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.10. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 18.34% and a net margin of 23.39%.The firm had revenue of $3.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.28 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.60 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. Williams Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.200-2.380 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.45 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Williams Companies Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 11th will be issued a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 92.11%.
Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, SVP Glen G. Jasek sold 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.15, for a total value of $195,375.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 54,101 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,227,993.15. This represents a 4.42% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, COO Larry C. Larsen sold 12,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.48, for a total value of $917,760.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 98,219 shares in the company, valued at $7,511,789.12. This trade represents a 10.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 66,500 shares of company stock worth $5,029,955 in the last three months. 0.47% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages recently issued reports on WMB. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Williams Companies from $98.00 to $99.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Wolfe Research raised shares of Williams Companies from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Williams Companies from $88.00 to $89.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $82.00 to $83.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce increased their price target on Williams Companies from $83.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “outperformer” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Williams Companies has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $83.56.
Check Out Our Latest Report on Williams Companies
Key Stories Impacting Williams Companies Here are the key news stories impacting Williams Companies this week:
Positive Sentiment: Dividend supports income appeal: Williams declared a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share, equivalent to approximately $2.10 annually and a yield near 3%. The dividend is payable September 28 to shareholders of record September 11. Williams Companies dividend announcement Positive Sentiment: Analyst price target remains above the market: Analysts set an average price target of $83.56, implying potential upside and signaling continued confidence in the pipeline operator’s earnings and cash-flow profile. Analysts set Williams Companies price target Positive Sentiment: Energy infrastructure demand and sustainability progress: Williams’ 2025 Sustainability Report highlighted improvements in environmental, safety and operational metrics. Management also pointed to rapidly rising energy demand, which could support long-term utilization of the company’s natural-gas pipeline infrastructure. Williams sustainability report Neutral Sentiment: Second-quarter expectations remain the key near-term catalyst: Wall Street projections focus on revenue, earnings and operating metrics for the quarter ended June 2026. The reports provide estimates but no reported results, leaving the upcoming earnings release as the main test of whether demand growth is translating into financial performance. Williams Q2 Wall Street projections Negative Sentiment: Estimates were trimmed: US Capital Advisors lowered its EPS forecasts for the third quarter of 2026, first and second quarters of 2027, and fiscal 2028. The FY2028 estimate fell to $2.86 from $2.89, a modest reduction that nevertheless signals slightly softer expected earnings growth. Williams Companies analyst estimates Negative Sentiment: Defensive options activity increased: Investors purchased 17,796 put options, 86% above average volume. While this may represent hedging rather than outright bearish positioning, it indicates heightened near-term caution around WMB. Williams Companies Company Profile (Free Report)
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.
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TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Williams (NYSE: WMB) today released its 2025 Sustainability Report, highlighting its environmental, safety and operational performance amid rapidly growing demand for energy infrastructure to help power the next-generation economy. An electronic version of the report is available at www.williams.com/sustainability. “Rising energy demand requires solutions that are affordable and reliable, while also ready now and fit for a sustainable future,” said Chad Zamarin, W.
Williams (NYSE: WMB) today released its 2025 Sustainability Report, highlighting its environmental, safety and operational performance amid rapidly growing dema
The upcoming report from Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB - Free Report) is expected to reveal quarterly earnings of $0.52 per share, indicating an increase of 13% compared to the year-ago period. Analysts forecast revenues of $3.08 billion, representing an increase of 10.9% year over year.
The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.7% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This reflects how the analysts covering the stock have collectively reevaluated their initial estimates during this timeframe.
Prior to a company's earnings announcement, it is crucial to consider revisions to earnings estimates. This serves as a significant indicator for predicting potential investor actions regarding the stock. Empirical research has consistently demonstrated a robust correlation between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.
While it's common for investors to rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates for assessing how the business may have performed during the quarter, exploring analysts' forecasts for key metrics can yield valuable insights.
Given this perspective, it's time to examine the average forecasts of specific The Williams Companies metrics that are routinely monitored and predicted by Wall Street analysts.
The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Northeast G&P - Gathering volumes' will likely reach 4 billions of cubic feet per day. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 4 billions of cubic feet per day.
Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'West - NGL equity sales' should arrive at 7.30 thousands of barrels of oil per day. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 8.00 thousands of barrels of oil per day.
According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'West - Gathering volumes' should come in at 6 billions of cubic feet per day. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 6 billions of cubic feet per day.
Analysts expect 'Adjusted EBITDA- Other' to come in at $56.69 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $78.00 million in the same quarter last year.
Analysts forecast 'Adjusted EBITDA- Northeast G&P' to reach $518.10 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $501.00 million in the same quarter last year.
The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Adjusted EBITDA- Transmission, Power & Gulf' of $983.96 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $903.00 million in the same quarter last year.
It is projected by analysts that the 'Adjusted EBITDA- West' will reach $389.27 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $341.00 million in the same quarter last year.
Analysts' assessment points toward 'Modified EBITDA- Transmission, Power & Gulf' reaching $993.94 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $891.00 million in the same quarter of the previous year.
The average prediction of analysts places 'Modified EBITDA- West' at $382.41 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $341.00 million in the same quarter last year.
The consensus among analysts is that 'Modified EBITDA- Northeast G&P' will reach $522.65 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $501.00 million in the same quarter last year.
View all Key Company Metrics for The Williams Companies here>>>
Over the past month, shares of The Williams Companies have returned -3.6% versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.5% change. Currently, WMB carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), suggesting that its performance may align with the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Williams' (NYSE: WMB) board of directors has approved a regular dividend of $0.525 per share, or $2.10 annualized, on the company's common stock, payable on Sept. 28, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business on Sept. 11, 2026.
Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (WMB - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on August 3, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis pipeline operator is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.52 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +13%.
Revenues are expected to be $3.08 billion, up 10.8% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.88% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for The Williams Companies?For The Williams Companies, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +7.95%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that The Williams Companies will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that The Williams Companies would post earnings of $0.65 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.73, delivering a surprise of +12.31%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates just once.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
The Williams Companies appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
An Industry Player's Expected ResultsEnbridge (ENB - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $0.43 for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of -8.5%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $10.85 billion, up 0.9% from the year-ago quarter.
Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Enbridge has been revised 2.5% down to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of -0.59%, reflecting a lower Most Accurate Estimate.
This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Enbridge will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
First Trust Advisors LP raised its stake in Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB – Free Report) by 1.5% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 974,156 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after buying an additional 14,150 shares during the quarter. First Trust Advisors LP owned about 0.08% of Williams Companies worth $70,899,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Towne Trust Company N.A raised its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 60.2% during the fourth quarter. Towne Trust Company N.A now owns 431 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the period. Main Street Group LTD acquired a new position in Williams Companies in the 1st quarter worth $26,000. Motiv8 Investments LLC bought a new position in Williams Companies during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Clearstead Trust LLC raised its stake in shares of Williams Companies by 62.2% in the 4th quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 485 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares during the period. Finally, Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Williams Companies during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.44% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. TD Cowen lifted their target price on Williams Companies from $81.00 to $87.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Citigroup upped their price target on Williams Companies from $81.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Williams Companies from $87.00 to $85.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Williams Companies from $73.00 to $75.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Williams Companies from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, July 18th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Williams Companies has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $83.56.
Read Our Latest Research Report on WMB
Insider Buying and Selling In related news, SVP Glen G. Jasek sold 2,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.15, for a total value of $195,375.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 54,101 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,227,993.15. This trade represents a 4.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.16, for a total transaction of $148,320.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 283,159 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,999,071.44. The trade was a 0.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 68,500 shares of company stock worth $5,182,655. 0.47% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Williams Companies Price Performance NYSE:WMB opened at $73.96 on Friday. Williams Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $55.82 and a 52-week high of $80.07. The company has a market cap of $90.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 0.83. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $74.19 and its 200 day simple moving average is $71.81.
Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 4th. The pipeline company reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $3.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.28 billion. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 18.34% and a net margin of 23.39%.The business’s quarterly revenue was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.60 earnings per share. Williams Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.200-2.380 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.45 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Williams Companies Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 12th were issued a $0.525 dividend. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 12th. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 92.11%.
Williams Companies Profile (Free Report)
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.
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