Truist Financial Raises Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) Price Target to $60.00

Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB - Free Report) had its target price raised by Truist Financial from $56.00 to $60.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. Truist Financial currently has a hold rating on the pipeline company's stock.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Williams Companies in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. They set a "buy" rating and a $55.00 target price for the company. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $55.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, November 15th. Mizuho boosted their price target on Williams Companies from $47.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Williams Companies from $46.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, January 10th. Finally, Scotiabank restated a "sector perform" rating and issued a $51.00 target price on shares of Williams Companies in a research note on Friday, January 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $53.29.

Williams Companies Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:WMB traded up $0.80 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $57.78. The company's stock had a trading volume of 7,370,613 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,648,716. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 0.57. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $55.90 and its 200 day simple moving average is $51.87. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.38, a PEG ratio of 5.06 and a beta of 1.04. Williams Companies has a fifty-two week low of $33.85 and a fifty-two week high of $61.46.

Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The pipeline company reported $0.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.47. Williams Companies had a return on equity of 15.89% and a net margin of 27.36%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Williams Companies will post 1.91 earnings per share for the current year.

Williams Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.46%. This is a boost from Williams Companies's previous quarterly dividend of $0.48. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. Williams Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 80.17%.

Institutional Trading of Williams Companies

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in WMB. Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in Williams Companies during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new position in shares of Williams Companies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Williams Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Sandy Spring Bank bought a new position in Williams Companies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Hoey Investments Inc. acquired a new position in Williams Companies during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Institutional investors own 86.44% of the company's stock.

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.