M.D. Sass LLC Has $75.57 Million Stock Position in Williams Companies, Inc. (The) $WMB

M.D. Sass LLC grew its stake in shares of Williams Companies, Inc. (The) (NYSE:WMB) by 16.4% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,192,900 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after buying an additional 168,067 shares during the quarter. Williams Companies comprises 6.2% of M.D. Sass LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 2nd biggest position. M.D. Sass LLC’s holdings in Williams Companies were worth $75,570,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Hartford Funds Management Co LLC bought a new stake in shares of Williams Companies in the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Private Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its holdings in Williams Companies by 104.8% in the 2nd quarter. Private Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 469 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 240 shares during the last quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp bought a new position in shares of Williams Companies during the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC bought a new position in shares of Williams Companies during the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of Williams Companies in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $35,000. 86.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Terrance Lane Wilson sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.39, for a total value of $132,780.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 293,545 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,488,452.55. This represents a 0.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders sold 8,000 shares of company stock worth $498,700 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.44% of the company’s stock.

Williams Companies Stock Up 1.5%

Shares of WMB opened at $67.47 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a current ratio of 0.42. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $61.74 and a 200-day simple moving average of $60.30. Williams Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $51.58 and a 52 week high of $68.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $82.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.78, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.65.

Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) last released its earnings results on Monday, November 3rd. The pipeline company reported $0.49 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.51 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $2.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.87 billion. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 16.74% and a net margin of 20.61%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 10.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.43 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Williams Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.525 per share. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. This is a boost from Williams Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. Williams Companies’s payout ratio is 108.25%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

WMB has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Barclays lifted their target price on Williams Companies from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of Williams Companies from $71.00 to $76.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday. TD Cowen upped their target price on Williams Companies from $69.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Tudor Pickering upgraded shares of Williams Companies from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, December 1st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on Williams Companies from $72.00 to $70.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Williams Companies has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $68.64.

Trending Headlines about Williams Companies

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

• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies raised its price target to $76 and kept a Buy rating, providing a clear buy‑side catalyst and signaling stronger upside vs. recent levels. Jefferies Boosts PT to $76
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks and other previews point to expected Q4 earnings growth and the potential for an earnings beat on Feb. 10, which can lift the stock ahead of the report. WMB to Report Q4 Results: Wall Street Expects Earnings Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Weather and gas‑storage draws (EIA data showing a large reduction in lower‑48 nat‑gas inventories after Winter Storm Fern) have supported natural gas prices and volumes—a tailwind for midstream throughput and Williams’ revenue. EIA: Natural Gas Stocks Update
• Positive Sentiment: Company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.525 (annualized $2.10, ~3.1% yield), which is supportive for income‑oriented investors and helps justify higher valuation multiples. MarketBeat WMB Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts’ consensus price target sits near $68.29 — essentially in line with the current trading level — indicating mixed expectations across the Street. Average Price Target $68.29
• Negative Sentiment: US Capital Advisors issued mixed revisions: they raised Q1 2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts (Q1 to $0.61; FY2027 to $2.49) but trimmed several FY2026 quarterly estimates and slightly cut FY2026 EPS — a near‑term downgrade that can temper optimism about 2026 earnings. US Capital Advisors Has Negative View of WMB FY2026 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: an SVP sold 2,000 shares (~$66.39 avg), a small but visible transaction that some investors view as a negative signal. SEC Form 4 filing is available. SEC Form 4

About Williams Companies

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.