Williams Companies Stock Outlook: Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish?

Core Viewpoint - The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB) is an energy infrastructure company that has underperformed compared to the broader market and certain ETFs, despite a mixed earnings surprise history and a generally positive analyst outlook [2][5][6]. Company Overview - WMB is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and focuses on connecting North America's hydrocarbon resources to markets for natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and olefins. The company has a market capitalization of $68.9 billion and operates midstream gathering and processing assets along with interstate natural gas pipelines [1]. Stock Performance - Over the past year, WMB shares have gained 8.4%, while the S&P 500 Index has increased by nearly 18.5%. Year-to-date, WMB stock is up 4.4%, compared to a 15.1% rise in the S&P 500 [2]. - WMB has outperformed the First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF (FTXN), which has declined about 7.5% over the past year, with WMB's year-to-date returns surpassing the ETF's 5.7% losses [3]. Recent Financial Results - On November 3, WMB reported its Q3 results, with an adjusted EPS of $0.49, which fell short of Wall Street expectations of $0.51. The company's revenue was $2.9 billion, also below the forecast of $3 billion. WMB expects full-year adjusted EPS to be in the range of $2.01 to $2.19 [4]. Analyst Expectations - For the current fiscal year ending in December, analysts expect WMB's EPS to grow by 14.1% to $2.19 on a diluted basis. The company's earnings surprise history is mixed, with two beats and two misses in the last four quarters [5]. - Among 23 analysts covering WMB, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," with 13 "Strong Buy" ratings, two "Moderate Buys," seven "Holds," and one "Strong Sell" [5]. - The analyst outlook has become more bullish, with 12 analysts suggesting a "Strong Buy." RBC Capital's Elvira Scotto reiterated a "Buy" rating with a price target of $75, indicating a potential upside of 32.7% from current levels. The mean price target of $68.15 represents a 20.6% premium, while the highest target of $83 suggests an upside potential of 46.9% [6].