Williams Raises Quarterly Dividend 25% to $0.25 per Share

TULSA, Okla., Nov. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Williams' (NYSE: WMB) board of directors has approved a regular dividend of $0.25 on the company's common stock, payable Dec. 27, 2011, to holders of record at the close of business on Dec. 9. The new dividend amount is a 25-percent increase over the previous level and is double the amount paid in December 2010. 

This dividend increase, which was announced on Sept. 6, is part of Williams' transformation into a premier high-growth, high-dividend energy infrastructure company. Williams expects continued 10 to 15 percent annual dividend increases.

The company has paid a common stock dividend every quarter since 1974.

About Williams (NYSE: WMB)

Williams is an integrated natural gas company focused on exploration and production, midstream gathering and processing, and interstate natural gas transportation primarily in the Rocky Mountains, Gulf Coast, Pacific Northwest, Eastern Seaboard and the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. Most of the company's interstate gas pipeline and midstream assets are held through its 75-percent ownership interest (including the general-partner interest) in Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ), a leading diversified master limited partnership.  More information is available at www.williams.com. Go to http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=630&to=ea&s=0 to join our e-mail list.

Portions of this document may constitute "forward-looking statements" as defined by federal law. Although the company believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the "safe harbor" protections provided under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in the company's annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Williams