Williams Companies Inc (WMB): Today's Featured Energy Laggard

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

Williams Companies ( WMB) pushed the Energy industry lower today making it today's featured Energy laggard. The industry as a whole closed the day down 0.2%. By the end of trading, Williams Companies fell 44 cents (-1.3%) to $34.63 on average volume. Throughout the day, 5.2 million shares of Williams Companies exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 6.8 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $34.53-$35.40 after having opened the day at $35.07 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $35.07. Other companies within the Energy industry that declined today were: Whiting USA Trust I ( WHX), down 13.3%, Sonde Resources ( SOQ), down 7.1%, Magnum Hunter Resources Corportion ( MHR), down 6.9%, and Noble Corporation ( NE), down 6%.
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The Williams Companies, Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company in the United States. Williams Companies has a market cap of $22.05 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 33.2, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 7.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday. Currently there are seven analysts that rate Williams Companies a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and two rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Williams Companies as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its notable return on equity, expanding profit margins and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.

On the positive front, BMB Munai ( BMBM), up 24.4%, Syntroleum Corporation ( SYNM), up 19.7%, Cubic Energy ( QBC), up 9.9%, and InterOil Corporation ( IOC), up 9.6%, were all gainers within the energy industry with Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras ( PBR) being today's featured energy industry leader.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the energy industry could consider Energy Select Sector SPDR ( XLE) while those bearish on the energy industry could consider Proshares Short Oil & Gas ( DDG).

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