Williams upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs upgraded Williams (WMB) to Buy from Neutral with an $82 price target implying 18% total return. The firm says the company’s core transmission asset, the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline system, is the most strategically located pipeline system, reaching from the Northeast to the Gulf Coast. Goldman is constructive on Williams’ ability to accelerate the pace of near-term gas transmission project announcements as demand for liquified natural gas exports, utility-scale demand, and data center demand grows.