The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB), headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, operates as an energy infrastructure company focused on connecting North America's hydrocarbon resource plays to growing markets for natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and olefins. With a market cap of $68.9 billion, the company owns and operates midstream gathering and processing assets and interstate natural gas pipelines.
Shares of this natural gas giant have underperformed the broader market over the past year. WMB has gained 8.4% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 18.5%. In 2025, WMB stock is up 4.4%, compared to the SPX’s 15.1% rise on a YTD basis.
Narrowing the focus, WMB’s outperformance is apparent compared to the First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF (FTXN). The exchange-traded fund has declined about 7.5% over the past year. Moreover, WMB’s returns on a YTD basis outshine the ETF’s 5.7% losses over the same time frame.
On Nov. 3, WMB shares closed up by 2% after reporting its Q3 results. Its adjusted EPS of $0.49 fell short of Wall Street expectations of $0.51. The company’s revenue was $2.9 billion, falling short of Wall Street forecasts of $3 billion. WMB expects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $2.01 to $2.19.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect WMB’s EPS to grow 14.1% to $2.19 on a diluted basis. The company’s earnings surprise history is mixed. It beat the consensus estimate in two of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on two other occasions.
Among the 23 analysts covering WMB stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on 13 “Strong Buy” ratings, two “Moderate Buys,” seven “Holds,” and one “Strong Sell.”
This configuration is more bullish than a month ago, with 12 analysts suggesting a “Strong Buy.”
On Oct. 27, Elvira Scotto from RBC Capital reiterated a “Buy” rating on WMB with a price target of $75, implying a potential upside of 32.7% from current levels.
The mean price target of $68.15 represents a 20.6% premium to WMB’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $83 suggests an ambitious upside potential of 46.9%.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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