Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) Hits New 52-Week High at $46.34

The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $46.34 and last traded at $46.34, with a volume of 2052 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $46.22.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have weighed in on WMB. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on Williams Companies from $44.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, August 23rd. Scotiabank raised their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Williams Companies from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $38.00 to $46.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 4th. Argus upgraded Williams Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 20th. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn cut Williams Companies from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $43.50.

Williams Companies Trading Up 0.3 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.45. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $44.13 and a 200 day moving average of $41.45. The company has a market capitalization of $56.50 billion, a PE ratio of 19.42, a PEG ratio of 6.24 and a beta of 1.05.

Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 5th. The pipeline company reported $0.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.05. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 16.17% and a net margin of 27.11%. The firm had revenue of $2.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.46 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.42 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that The Williams Companies, Inc. will post 1.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Williams Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a dividend of $0.475 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $1.90 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.10%. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 79.83%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Williams Companies

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMB. Rise Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Williams Companies in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. SouthState Corp purchased a new position in Williams Companies during the second quarter worth $31,000. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Williams Companies during the second quarter valued at $34,000. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of Williams Companies in the second quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, Fairman Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Williams Companies in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. 86.44% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Williams Companies

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.