As you might know, The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB) just kicked off its latest second-quarter results with some very strong numbers. It was overall a positive result, with revenues beating expectations by 7.3% to hit US$3.1b. Williams Companies also reported a statutory profit of US$0.68, which was an impressive 36% above what the analysts had forecast. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what the analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. So we collected the latest post-earnings statutory consensus estimates to see what could be in store for next year.

Taking into account the latest results, Williams Companies' nine analysts currently expect revenues in 2026 to be US$12.2b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory per-share earnings are expected to be US$2.48, roughly flat on the last 12 months. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of US$12.2b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$2.36 in 2026. The analysts seems to have become more bullish on the business, judging by their new earnings per share estimates.

There's been no major changes to the consensus price target of US$84.50, suggesting that the improved earnings per share outlook is not enough to have a long-term positive impact on the stock's valuation. The consensus price target is just an average of individual analyst targets, so - it could be handy to see how wide the range of underlying estimates is. There are some variant perceptions on Williams Companies, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$99.00 and the most bearish at US$69.00 per share. As you can see, analysts are not all in agreement on the stock's future, but the range of estimates is still reasonably narrow, which could suggest that the outcome is not totally unpredictable.

Of course, another way to look at these forecasts is to place them into context against the industry itself. These estimates imply that revenue is expected to slow, with a forecast annualised decline of 2.4% by the end of 2026. This indicates a significant reduction from annual growth of 2.8% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 1.9% per year. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - Williams Companies is expected to lag the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The biggest takeaway for us is the consensus earnings per share upgrade, which suggests a clear improvement in sentiment around Williams Companies' earnings potential next year. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. There was no real change to the consensus price target, suggesting that the intrinsic value of the business has not undergone any major changes with the latest estimates.

With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Williams Companies going out to 2028, and you can see them free on our platform here..

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.