We recently published a list of 8 Most Profitable Natural Gas Stocks To Invest In. In this article, we are going to look at where The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB) stands against other most profitable natural gas stocks to invest in.
On November 4, the Canadian government, under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announced preliminary regulations aimed at reducing carbon emissions from the oil and gas sector by 35% from 2019 levels over the next eight years. These regulations are set to be implemented through a cap-and-trade system, which will establish a legal limit on the sector’s emissions, allowing companies to buy and sell a limited number of emissions allowances. The cap is expected to be enforced starting in 2030, with gradual reductions until Canada achieves net-zero emissions by 2050. The plan is set to be finalized in the coming year and phased in starting in 2026. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has expressed concerns that the cap will lead to production cuts and a reduction in business investment. The effectiveness and implementation of this policy remains uncertain, as the governing Liberal Party faces a significant challenge from the Conservative Party, which is leading in the polls ahead of the next election, scheduled no later than October 2026.
READ ALSO: 10 Oil Stocks with Biggest Upside Potential According to Analysts and 7 Best Emerging Markets Stocks To Buy Now.
Natural Gas Shows Signs of Recovery
In an interview with CNBC on September 11, Katie Stockton, Founder of Fairlead Strategies discussed the potential for a natural gas trade as the market shows signs of basing and improving momentum. Stockton began by noting that natural gas prices have experienced a significant decline, with a 75% drop from September 2022. This dramatic decrease has put natural gas in a long-term downtrend, making it a challenging and volatile asset to trade.
One of the key indicators Stockton highlighted is the long-term momentum gauge for natural gas prices. For the first time since the beginning of 2023, this gauge has flipped to a buy signal, indicating a significant shift in the long-term trend. This is a positive sign, as it suggests that the downward momentum may be reversing. Additionally, natural gas has been showing signs of basing for several months, which is a positive signal for potential upside movement. Stockton also pointed out that short-term momentum has been improving. Natural gas futures have recently moved above their 50-day moving average, a key technical level that often signals short-term strength. The prices are now testing the 200-day moving average, another critical resistance level. Breaking through this level could trigger more buying interest and potentially lead to a sustained upward trend.
Natural gas has become a key part of the world’s energy supply, serving as a bridge between traditional fossil fuels and renewable energy sources. This increased demand is expected to help stabilize prices and open up new opportunities for investors.
An industrial facility emitting natural gas from large pipes, with workers in the foreground.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 8 most profitable natural gas stocks to invest in, we used Finviz and Yahoo stock screeners to find the 30 largest gas companies. We shortlisted companies with a 5-year net income compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 15% and a minimum net income of $1 billion in the trailing twelve months (TTM) as informed by SeekingAlpha. Then we used Insider Monkey’s Hedge Fund database to rank 8 stocks according to the largest number of hedge fund holders, as of Q3 2024. The list is sorted in ascending order of hedge fund sentiment.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 37
5-Year Net Income CAGR: 79.36%
TTM Net Income: $2.88 Billion
The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB) is a leading energy infrastructure company, with a robust portfolio of natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) assets. The company operates a vast network of pipelines, storage facilities, and processing plants, serving a diverse range of customers, including utilities, power generators, and industrial users.
The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB) is expanding its footprint and enhancing its capabilities through a series of strategic projects and acquisitions. One of the key drivers of the company’s growth is its focus on large-scale natural gas transportation and storage projects. The company recently acquired the Gulf Coast Storage system, which has significantly bolstered its storage capacity and reliability. The company has also successfully placed several major projects into service, including Transco’s Regional Energy Access, to expand the capacity of its existing natural gas transmission system, which was completed ahead of schedule and under budget.
In addition to these large-scale projects, The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB) is actively developing smaller, high-return pipeline projects that collectively contribute to the company’s growth. The company has entered into binding agreements for several expansion projects on the Northwest pipeline, totaling approximately 260 million cubic feet per day of firm capacity. These projects offer strong returns and demonstrate the company’s ability to leverage its existing infrastructure to meet growing demand. The Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (SESE) is another significant initiative, which will expand the company’s capacity by 1.6 billion cubic feet per day, serving the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast markets. SESE is fully contracted and is expected to generate substantial EBITDA contributions in the coming months.
Overall, WMB ranks 6th on our list of one of the most profitable natural gas stocks to invest in. While we acknowledge the potential of WMB to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than WMB but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
