Williams Companies, Inc. (The) $WMB Stock Position Cut by Generali Asset Management SPA SGR

Key Points

• Generali Asset Management cut its Williams Companies position by 46.8% in the third quarter, selling 72,285 shares and retaining 82,080 shares worth approximately $5.6 million. Institutional investors collectively own 86.44% of WMB.
• Williams reported quarterly revenue of $3.05 billion, up 9.8% year over year, while EPS of $0.50 matched analysts’ expectations. Analysts maintain a “Buy” consensus with an average price target of $86.06, above the reported share price of $74.23.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share, or $2.10 annually, representing a roughly 2.8% yield. However, its 83.67% payout ratio and relatively high leverage could create sensitivity to rising interest rates.

Generali Asset Management SPA SGR trimmed its position in shares of Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB - Free Report) by 46.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 82,080 shares of the pipeline company's stock after selling 72,285 shares during the quarter. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR's holdings in Williams Companies were worth $5,579,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of WMB. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Williams Companies by 0.8% in the third quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 608,467 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $41,358,000 after buying an additional 4,573 shares in the last quarter. Lynch Investment Planning LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Williams Companies during the third quarter valued at approximately $88,000. Balance Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Williams Companies during the third quarter valued at approximately $73,000. Foresight Capital Management Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Williams Companies during the third quarter valued at approximately $47,000. Finally, Harrison Street Private Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of Williams Companies by 13.8% during the third quarter. Harrison Street Private Wealth LLC now owns 78,096 shares of the pipeline company's stock valued at $5,308,000 after acquiring an additional 9,449 shares in the last quarter. 86.44% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Williams Companies Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:WMB opened at $74.23 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a current ratio of 0.48. The firm has a market cap of $90.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.64. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $72.12 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $72.13. Williams Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $56.19 and a fifty-two week high of $80.07.

Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The pipeline company reported $0.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.50. Williams Companies had a net margin of 25.17% and a return on equity of 18.49%. The firm had revenue of $3.05 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.83 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.46 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue 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, analysts expect that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Williams Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be issued a $0.5250 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. Williams Companies's dividend payout ratio is currently 83.67%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Williams Companies in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $82.00 price objective on shares of Williams Companies in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Williams Companies from $88.00 to $89.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Barclays initiated coverage on Williams Companies in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. They set an "overweight" rating and a $82.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their target price on Williams Companies from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $86.06.

Insider Buying and Selling at Williams Companies

In related news, SVP Terrance Wilson sold 13,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.87, for a total value of $973,310.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 268,159 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $20,077,064.33. This trade represents a 4.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 19,000 shares of company stock valued at $1,401,430. 0.47% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Williams Companies

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

• Positive Sentiment: WMB recently moved above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, signaling improving short-term and long-term momentum. These breakouts may attract technical traders and reinforce the view that the stock has established support near current levels. WMB 50-day moving average article WMB 200-day moving average article
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual options activity points to bullish positioning: investors purchased about 151,361 WMB call options, roughly 997% above typical call volume. Options activity is speculative, but it suggests increased expectations for further gains. WMB options and moving average article
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are looking ahead to third-quarter results, with the Socrates Phase 1 project, the Momentum acquisition and strong natural-gas demand identified as potential growth drivers. Williams’ fee-based pipeline model also makes it a relatively defensive energy holding, including for power demand from data centers. Williams Q3 earnings preview
• Neutral Sentiment: Williams declared a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share, payable December 28 to shareholders of record December 11. The $2.10 annualized payout represents a yield of approximately 2.8%, but the dividend was maintained rather than increased. Williams quarterly dividend announcement
• Negative Sentiment: Rising interest rates could pressure WMB’s valuation and increase financing costs, particularly given its relatively high leverage. Higher yields may also make the company’s dividend less attractive compared with cash and other income investments, while rising operating costs remain a risk ahead of earnings.

Williams Companies Profile

The Williams Companies, Inc is an energy infrastructure company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Founded in 1908 as Williams Brothers, the company has evolved from an early pipeline contractor into a major operator of natural gas infrastructure in the United States.

Williams primarily gathers, processes, transports and stores natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its assets include interstate and regional pipelines, gas processing and fractionation facilities, storage operations, and gathering systems that connect producers with utilities, industrial customers, power generators and other energy markets.

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