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Research Alert: Wmb: A Q1 Beat, But High Growth Capex Spending

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-- CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:

Williams delivered solid Q1 results, with adjusted EPS of $0.73 beating estimates of $0.62 and rising 22% Y/Y. Adjusted EBITDA increased 13% to $2.25B due to Transco expansion projects, higher Gulf volumes from new developments, and elevated storage revenues during winter storms. The natural gas-focused midstream operator benefits from strategic positioning in LNG infrastructure and data center demand, securing major customer agreements including the $2.3B Neo power project and Atlas data center infrastructure. Management raised 2026 growth capex guidance to $7.0B-$7.6B from prior $6.1B-$6.7B range, while maintaining 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance of $8.05B-$8.35B with expectations in the upper half. We believe the aggressive growth strategy positions WMB well for secular demand trends, though elevated capex of $1.64B in Q1 versus $0.67B prior year reflects the substantial investment required for expansion initiatives across Transco and data center projects.

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