Core Insights - Williams (WMB) is projecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 10% for adjusted EBITDA through 2030, driven by power and transmission projects [1] - The company has a significant backlog of opportunities, with $15 billion in potential growth capital and a robust pipeline of projects [1] Group 1: Financial Performance and Growth Outlook - WMB has raised its long-term adjusted EBITDA growth target from 5-7% to over 10% CAGR for 2025-2030, following a 9% CAGR from 2020 to 2025 [1] - The company expects U.S. natural gas demand to grow by 39 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2035, with 20 Bcf/d attributed to LNG exports and 10 Bcf/d for power generation [1] - For 2026, WMB has provided an adjusted EBITDA guidance range of $8.05–$8.25 billion, indicating a 6% growth relative to 2025 at the midpoint [1] Group 2: Power Projects - WMB has announced a new 340-megawatt natural gas power project in Ohio, with a 10-year agreement expected to be operational in the second half of 2028 [1] - The company has a backlog of power opportunities that is three times the combined gigawatts of its four sanctioned projects, totaling 6 gigawatts [1] - WMB is investing over $7 billion in its power projects, which are expected to yield a 20% return based on a 5x multiple [1] Group 3: Transmission Projects - WMB currently has 13 transmission projects underway, representing 7.1 Bcf/d of capacity, and is on track to increase delivery capacity by over 20% from 2025 to 2030 [1] - The transmission backlog has grown by over 5 Bcf/d in the past year, translating to more than $3 billion in capital expenditure [1] - WMB's transmission segment, particularly the Transco pipeline, is a key asset, transporting approximately 15% of the nation's natural gas [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted EBITDA reached a record high, marking a significant increase from 2023, with 19 of the 20 highest volume days recorded on Transco occurring this past winter [23] - The company returned over $2.3 billion in dividends to shareholders, maintaining a tradition of paying dividends every quarter for over fifty years [23] - The company achieved a 5% compound annual growth rate on dividends and an annualized total shareholder return compound annual growth rate of nearly 30% over the last five years [24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company placed six projects into service during the year and announced an additional six new projects, including expansions designed to support the conversion of electric power plants from coal to gas [25] - Twelve high-return transmission projects are currently in execution, which will add more than 3.25 billion cubic feet per day to the transmission systems [26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - There was an unprecedented surge in demand for long-term capacity on pipeline systems, driven by increasing natural gas demand from domestic power generation, LNG exports, and industrial reshoring [22] - The company operates more than 33,000 miles of pipeline, handling approximately one-third of the U.S. produced natural gas [20] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company remains focused on natural gas infrastructure, which is seen as a critical component for supporting power grid reliability as more intermittent renewables are developed [22] - The company is modernizing facilities with high-efficiency compression and utilizing technology to enhance transparency in emissions profiles [27] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the financial strength of the business, driven by a large portfolio of fully contracted, high-return growth projects over the next five years [21] - The company is committed to operating sustainably and has been recognized for its efforts in corporate sustainability [29] Other Important Information - The company has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North American Index for five consecutive years and holds the top score in the 2024 Corporate Sustainability Assessment in the North American oil and gas storage and transportation industry [29] Q&A Session Summary - No questions were submitted by shareholders during the meeting [33]