Sharpepoint LLC Makes New Investment in The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB)

Sharpepoint LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB) during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund bought 20,588 shares of the pipeline company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,114,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Quent Capital LLC bought a new position in Williams Companies in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust purchased a new position in shares of Williams Companies during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC bought a new position in Williams Companies in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Sandy Spring Bank purchased a new stake in Williams Companies in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Hoey Investments Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Williams Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Institutional investors own 86.44% of the company’s stock.

Williams Companies Stock Performance

Shares of WMB opened at $58.49 on Friday. The Williams Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $37.69 and a 12 month high of $61.67. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $57.43 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $55.86. The company has a current ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67. The company has a market cap of $71.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.96, a P/E/G ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 0.87.

Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The pipeline company reported $0.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.47. Williams Companies had a net margin of 21.17% and a return on equity of 15.85%. Research analysts anticipate that The Williams Companies, Inc. will post 2.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Williams Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 14th were issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.42%. This is a boost from Williams Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.48. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 14th. Williams Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 109.29%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. CIBC lifted their price target on Williams Companies from $56.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $62.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of Williams Companies from $51.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 6th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Williams Companies from $58.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 25th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Williams Companies from $63.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 25th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Williams Companies currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $57.77.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, SVP Larry C. Larsen sold 8,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $56.94, for a total transaction of $455,520.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 81,265 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,627,229.10. This represents a 8.96 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Chad A. Teply sold 26,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.46, for a total transaction of $1,467,960.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 133,048 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,511,890.08. The trade was a 16.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 139,583 shares of company stock valued at $7,563,278 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.44% of the company’s stock.

Williams Companies Profile

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.