Williams Companies, Inc. (The) $WMB Shares Bought by iA Global Asset Management Inc.

iA Global Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB) by 4,294.9% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 162,170 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after purchasing an additional 158,480 shares during the quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Williams Companies were worth $11,803,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of WMB. Towne Trust Company N.A boosted its stake in 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 buying an additional 162 shares during the period. Motiv8 Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Williams Companies in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Clearstead Trust LLC lifted its holdings 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 worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Williams Companies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, WHI TRUST Co LLC purchased a new position in shares of Williams Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.44% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Williams Companies

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

• Positive Sentiment: The rumored Momentum Midstream acquisition could expand Williams’ natural gas and LNG-related pipeline network, strengthening its position in key U.S. export corridors and supporting longer-term growth. Williams Nears $5.5 Billion Momentum Midstream Acquisition
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to frame Williams as a major midstream operator with solid long-term infrastructure exposure, and recent analyst targets remain above the current share price range. Williams Eyes LNG Growth With Potential $5.5B Momentum Midstream Deal
• Negative Sentiment: UBS says Williams is likely to report weaker Q2 results as the benefit from unusually cold winter weather fades, which could temper near-term earnings expectations. Williams Expected to Post Lower Q2 Results as Winter Boost Recedes, UBS Says
• Negative Sentiment: Some investors appear worried that a large acquisition could increase financing needs and leverage, and unusual put-option activity suggests rising caution around the stock. Williams Companies Slides as Investors Weigh Reported Momentum Midstream Deal

Insider Buying and Selling at Williams Companies

In other news, COO Larry C. Larsen sold 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.48, for a total transaction of $917,760.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 98,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,511,789.12. This represents a 10.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.35, for a total value of $152,700.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 287,159 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,924,589.65. This represents a 0.69% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 66,500 shares of company stock valued at $5,034,335. 0.47% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Williams Companies Stock Performance

Shares of Williams Companies stock opened at $74.39 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. Williams Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $55.82 and a 52 week high of $80.07. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $73.97 and its two-hundred day moving average is $70.03. The firm has a market capitalization of $90.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.58.

Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 4th. The pipeline company reported $0.73 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.10. Williams Companies had a net margin of 23.39% and a return on equity of 18.34%. The business had revenue of $3.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.28 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.60 EPS. The company’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. Research analysts forecast that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Williams Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 29th. Investors of record on Friday, June 12th were given a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 12th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio is 92.11%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. TD Cowen raised their target price on Williams Companies from $81.00 to $87.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on Williams Companies from $82.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Williams Companies from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 price target on the stock in a report on Monday, April 20th. Truist Financial assumed coverage on Williams Companies in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $84.00 price target on the stock. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on Williams Companies from $89.00 to $91.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $82.40.

Williams Companies Profile

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.