UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 4, 2020

The Williams Companies, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	1-4174	73-0569878
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

One Williams Center
Tulsa	Oklahoma	74172-0172
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (918) 573-2000

NOT APPLICABLE

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $1.00 par value	WMB	New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 8.01. Other Events

As disclosed in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020, effective January 1, 2020, following an organizational realignment, our interstate natural gas pipeline Northwest Pipeline LLC, which was reported within the West reporting segment throughout 2019, is now managed within the Transmission & Gulf of Mexico reporting segment (previously identified as the Atlantic-Gulf reporting segment). All segment disclosures have been recast for this segment change.

The following items of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, have been recast to reflect the previously described change in reportable segments and are filed as exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference:

• Exhibit 99.1

◦ Item 6. Selected Financial Data

◦ Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

◦ Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

◦ Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

• Exhibit 101.INS - XBRL Instance Document. The instance document does not appear in the interactive data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document.

• Exhibit 101.SCH - XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema.

• Exhibit 101.CAL - XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase.

• Exhibit 101.DEF - XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase.

• Exhibit 101.LAB - XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase.

• Exhibit 101.PRE - XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase.

• Exhibit 104 - Cover Page Interactive Data File. The cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document (contained in Exhibit 101).

The recast items of the Form 10-K described above have been updated for only the aforementioned segment change, as well as certain other events disclosed in Note 21 – Subsequent Events within Item 8 of Exhibit 99.1. We have not otherwise updated for activities or events occurring after the date these items were originally presented. This Current Report should be read in conjunction with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2020.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

FOR PURPOSES OF THE “SAFE HARBOR” PROVISIONS OF

THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

The reports, filings, and other public announcements of The Williams Companies, Inc. (Williams) may contain or incorporate by reference statements that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. Such statements are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act). These forward-looking statements relate to anticipated financial performance, management’s plans and objectives for future operations, business prospects, outcome of regulatory proceedings, market conditions, and other matters. We make these forward-looking statements in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this report that address activities, events, or developments that we expect, believe, or anticipate will exist or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by various forms of words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “seeks,” “could,” “may,” “should,” “continues,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “might,” “goals,” “objectives,” “targets,” “planned,” “potential,” “projects,” “scheduled,” “will,” “assumes,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “in-service date,” or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management and include, among others, statements regarding:

• Levels of dividends to Williams stockholders;

• Future credit ratings of Williams and its affiliates;

• Amounts and nature of future capital expenditures;

• Expansion and growth of our business and operations;

• Expected in-service dates for capital projects;

• Financial condition and liquidity;

• Business strategy;

• Cash flow from operations or results of operations;

• Seasonality of certain business components;

• Natural gas, natural gas liquids, and crude oil prices, supply, and demand;

• Demand for our services;

• The impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions, uncertainties, and risks that could cause future events or results to be materially different from those stated or implied in this report. Many of the factors that will determine these results are beyond our ability to control or predict. Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

• Availability of supplies, market demand, and volatility of prices;

• Development and rate of adoption of alternative energy sources;

• The impact of existing and future laws and regulations, the regulatory environment, environmental liabilities, and litigation, as well as our ability to obtain necessary permits and approvals, and achieve favorable rate proceeding outcomes;

• Our exposure to the credit risk of our customers and counterparties;

• Our ability to acquire new businesses and assets and successfully integrate those operations and assets into existing businesses as well as successfully expand our facilities, and to consummate asset sales on acceptable terms;

• Whether we are able to successfully identify, evaluate, and timely execute our capital projects and investment opportunities;

• The strength and financial resources of our competitors and the effects of competition;

• The amount of cash distributions from and capital requirements of our investments and joint ventures in which we participate;

• Whether we will be able to effectively execute our financing plan;

• Increasing scrutiny and changing expectations from stakeholders with respect to our environmental, social, and governance practices;

• The physical and financial risks associated with climate change;

• The impact of operational and developmental hazards and unforeseen interruptions;

• The risks resulting from outbreaks or other public health crises, including the novel coronavirus (COVID-19);

• Risks associated with weather and natural phenomena, including climate conditions and physical damage to our facilities;

• Acts of terrorism, cybersecurity incidents, and related disruptions;

• Our costs and funding obligations for defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans;

• Changes in maintenance and construction costs, as well as our ability to obtain sufficient construction-related inputs including skilled labor;

• Inflation, interest rates, and general economic conditions (including future disruptions and volatility in the global credit markets and the impact of these events on customers and suppliers);

• Risks related to financing, including restrictions stemming from debt agreements, future changes in credit ratings as determined by nationally recognized credit rating agencies, and the availability and cost of capital;

• The ability of the members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil exporting nations to agree to and maintain oil price and production controls and the impact on domestic production;

• Changes in the current geopolitical situation;

• Whether we are able to pay current and expected levels of dividends;

• Additional risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Given the uncertainties and risk factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, we caution investors not to unduly rely on our forward-looking statements. We disclaim any obligations to and do not intend to update the above list or announce publicly the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments.

In addition to causing our actual results to differ, the factors listed above and referred to below may cause our intentions to change from those statements of intention set forth in this report. Such changes in our intentions may also cause our results to differ. We may change our intentions, at any time and without notice, based upon changes in such factors, our assumptions, or otherwise.

Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, we caution that there are important factors, in addition to those listed above, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. For a detailed discussion of those factors, see Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the SEC on February 24, 2020, and in Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as filed with the SEC on May 4, 2020.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(a) None

(b) None

(c) None

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.	Description
23.1	Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, Ernst & Young LLP.
23.2	Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
99.1	Selected Financial Data, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk, and Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of The Williams Companies, Inc. including Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Part II, Items 6, 7, 7A, and 8 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019).
101.INS	XBRL Instance Document. The instance document does not appear in the interactive data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document.
101.SCH	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema.
101.CAL	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase.
101.DEF	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase.
101.LAB	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase.
101.PRE	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase.
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File. The cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document (contained in Exhibit 101).

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

			THE WILLIAMS COMPANIES, INC.
Dated:	May 4, 2020	By:	/s/ JOHN D. PORTER
			John D. Porter
			Vice President, Controller, and Chief Accounting Officer