Williams Companies (WMB) risk factors: FY2025 10-K

Item 1A of the 10-K for the period ending 2025-12-31, filed 2026-02-24. 36 risk factor headings as filed. Read Item 1A in full · The whole 10-K · What changed since FY2024

1new since FY2024
3reworded
3removed
32unchanged

Headings mentioning a theme: Tariffs 0 · AI 0 · Cybersecurity 1 · China 0 · Interest rates 1. Compare across the S&P 500.

Risks Related to Business

24
  1. The business, operating results, and financial condition of Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s natural gas transportation and midstream businesses are dependent on the continued availability of natural gas supplies in the supply basins and demand for those supplies in the markets that they serve.
  2. Prices for natural gas, NGLs, oil, LNG, and other commodities are volatile, and this volatility has and could continue to adversely affect Williams’ financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, access to capital, and ability to maintain or grow its business.reworded
  3. Significant prolonged changes in natural gas prices could affect supply and demand for Transco and NWP and cause a reduction in or termination of their long-term transportation and storage contracts or throughput on their systems.
  4. Williams, Transco, and NWP are exposed to the credit risk of customers and counterparties, and credit risk management will not be able to completely eliminate such risk.
  5. Williams, Transco, and NWP may not be able to grow or effectively manage growth, including the pursuit and operational implementation of power innovation projects.new
  6. The energy industry is highly competitive, and increased competitive pressure could adversely affect Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s businesses and operating results.
  7. Williams does not own 100 percent of the equity interests of certain subsidiaries, including the nonconsolidated entities, which may limit its ability to operate and control these subsidiaries. Certain operations, including the nonconsolidated entities, are conducted through arrangements that may limit Williams’ ability to operate and control these operations.
  8. Williams, Transco, and NWP may not be able to replace, extend, or add additional customer contracts or contracted volumes on favorable terms, or at all, as applicable, which could affect Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s financial condition and ability to grow, as well as the amount of cash available to Williams to pay dividends.
  9. Certain of Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s natural gas pipeline services are subject to long-term, fixed-price contracts that are not subject to adjustment, even if the cost to perform such services exceeds the revenues received from such contracts.
  10. Some of Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s businesses are exposed to supplier concentration risks arising from dependence on a single or a limited number of suppliers.
  11. Transco and NWP depend on certain key customers for a significant portion of their revenues. The loss of any of these key customers or the loss of any contracted volumes could result in a decline in Transco’s and NWP’s respective businesses.
  12. Failure of service providers or disruptions to outsourcing relationships might negatively impact Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s ability to conduct their businesses.
  13. An impairment of Williams’ assets, including property, plant, and equipment, intangible assets, and/or equity-method investments, could reduce Williams’ earnings.
  14. Williams, Transco, and NWP may face opposition to the operation and expansion of pipelines and facilities from various individuals and groups or face increased scrutiny from various stakeholders with respect to environmental, social and governance practices.reworded
  15. Williams, Transco, and NWP may be subject to physical and financial risks associated with climate change.
  16. Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s operations are subject to operational risks and hazards that might result in accidents and unforeseen interruptions.
  17. Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s assets and operations, as well as their customers’ assets and operations, can be adversely affected by weather and other natural phenomena.
  18. Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s businesses could be negatively impacted by acts of terrorism and related disruptions.
  19. A breach of information technology infrastructure, including a breach caused by a cybersecurity attack on Williams, Transco, or NWP, or the third parties with whom they are interconnected, may interfere with the safe operation of assets, result in the disclosure of personal or proprietary information, and cause reputational harm.Cybersecurity
  20. If third-party pipelines and other facilities interconnected to Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s pipelines and facilities become unavailable to transport natural gas and NGLs or to treat natural gas, as applicable, Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s revenues could be adversely affected.
  21. Williams’ operating results for certain components of its business might fluctuate on a seasonal basis.
  22. Williams, Transco, and NWP do not own all of the land on which their pipelines and facilities are located, which could disrupt operations.
  23. Williams’ business could be negatively impacted as a result of stockholder activism.
  24. Williams’ costs and funding obligations for defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans, and Transco’s and NWP’s allocations regarding the same, are affected by factors beyond Williams’ control.

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Risks Related to Financing

7
  1. A downgrade of Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s credit ratings, which are determined outside of their control by independent third parties, could impact their liquidity, access to capital, and costs of doing business, and the ability of Transco and NWP to obtain credit in the future could be affected by Williams’ credit ratings.
  2. Difficult conditions in the global financial markets and the economy in general could negatively affect Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s businesses and results of operations.
  3. Restrictions in Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s debt agreements and the amount of their indebtedness may affect their future financial and operating flexibility.
  4. Changes to interest rates or increases in interest rates could adversely impact Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s access to credit, share price, and ability to issue securities or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes, as applicable, and Williams’ ability to make cash dividends at intended levels.Interest rates
  5. Williams’ hedging activities might not be effective and could increase the volatility of Williams’ results.
  6. Access to capital could be affected by financial institutions’ policies concerning fossil fuel related businesses.
  7. Williams can exercise substantial control over Transco’s and NWP’s distribution policies, businesses, and operations and may do so in a manner that is adverse to Transco’s and NWP’s interests.

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Risks Related to Regulations

2
  1. The operation of Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s businesses might be adversely affected by regulatory proceedings, including FERC proceedings; changes in government regulations or in their interpretation or implementation; or the introduction of new laws or regulations applicable to Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s businesses or customers.reworded
  2. Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s operations are subject to environmental laws and regulations, including laws and regulations relating to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, which may expose them to significant costs, liabilities, and expenditures that could exceed expectations.

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General Risk Factors

3
  1. Williams, Transco, and NWP do not insure against all potential risks and losses and could be seriously harmed by unexpected liabilities or by the inability of their insurers to satisfy their claims.
  2. Failure to attract and retain an appropriately qualified workforce could negatively impact Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s results of operations.
  3. Holders of Williams’ common stock may not receive dividends in the amount expected or any dividends.

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No longer in Item 1A

3

Headings in the FY2024 10-K with no match this year.

  1. Williams, Transco, and NWP may not be able to grow or effectively manage growth.
  2. Increasing scrutiny and changing expectations from stakeholders with respect to environmental, social and governance practices may impose additional costs or risks.
  3. The natural gas sales, transportation, and storage operations of Williams’, Transco’s, and NWP’s natural gas pipelines are subject to regulation by the FERC, which could have an adverse impact on their ability to establish transportation and storage rates that would allow them to recover the full cost of operating their respective pipelines and storage assets, including a reasonable rate of return.

Headings are the lines of Item 1A set wholly in bold or italics, as the parser reads them, without the introductory paragraph that opens the section. A heading is new when no heading in the prior 10-K matches it after ignoring case and punctuation, and reworded when it shares at least 60 percent of its words with one that went away. Source: the filing on sec.gov.