Principle Wealth Partners LLC Cuts Stock Holdings in The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB)

Principle Wealth Partners LLC lessened its holdings in The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB) by 18.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 5,922 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after selling 1,344 shares during the period. Principle Wealth Partners LLC’s holdings in Williams Companies were worth $320,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of WMB. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased its holdings in Williams Companies by 3.3% during the fourth quarter. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft now owns 5,568 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $300,000 after buying an additional 180 shares during the period. Albion Financial Group UT boosted its position in Williams Companies by 18.4% during the 4th quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 1,184 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $64,000 after acquiring an additional 184 shares in the last quarter. Sprinkle Financial Consultants LLC increased its holdings in shares of Williams Companies by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Sprinkle Financial Consultants LLC now owns 5,073 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $275,000 after acquiring an additional 185 shares during the period. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Williams Companies by 24.4% in the 4th quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 995 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $54,000 after acquiring an additional 195 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group raised its position in shares of Williams Companies by 2.6% in the 3rd quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 7,817 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $357,000 after acquiring an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. 86.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Williams Companies Stock Down 1.7 %

Shares of WMB stock opened at $55.24 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $55.90 and its 200-day simple moving average is $51.40. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $67.33 billion, a PE ratio of 23.31, a P/E/G ratio of 5.06 and a beta of 1.05. The Williams Companies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $32.65 and a fifty-two week high of $61.46.

Williams Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be issued a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This is a positive change from Williams Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.48. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.62%. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 84.39%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMB has been the subject of several recent research reports. UBS Group boosted their price target on Williams Companies from $55.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 15th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on Williams Companies from $47.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Williams Companies from $52.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on Williams Companies from $45.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price target on Williams Companies from $47.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Williams Companies presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $53.00.

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.