Western Midstream Partners (NYSE:WES) Shares Gap Down on Disappointing Earnings

Shares of Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:WES) gapped down prior to trading on Thursday after the company announced weaker than expected quarterly earnings. The stock had previously closed at $43.90, but opened at $40.51. Western Midstream Partners shares last traded at $41.3090, with a volume of 1,195,836 shares traded.

The pipeline company reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.91 by ($0.44). The company had revenue of $1.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.06 billion. Western Midstream Partners had a net margin of 30.52% and a return on equity of 33.14%. The firm’s revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.85 EPS.

Western Midstream Partners Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Monday, February 2nd were given a $0.91 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 2nd. This represents a $3.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.9%. Western Midstream Partners’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 107.69%.

Trending Headlines about Western Midstream Partners

Here are the key news stories impacting Western Midstream Partners this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company reported record EBITDA and highlighted operational strength (revenue up year-over-year), which supports underlying cash flow resilience and the distribution profile. Western Midstream Partners LP (WES) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Record EBITDA and …
• Positive Sentiment: Western Midstream has expressed takeover interest in Kinetik, a strategic move that could expand asset base and cash flows if a deal proceeds—this potential growth avenue is being viewed favorably by some investors. Kinetik stock rises after receiving takeover interest from Western Midstream
• Neutral Sentiment: Full Q4 2025 earnings call transcript is available for investors who want line-by-line commentary from management (useful for assessing guidance, one-time items, and capital allocation plans). Western Midstream Partners, LP Common Units (WES) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Management’s Q4 presentation is posted (slides/metrics may clarify drivers behind record EBITDA and why EPS missed), worth reviewing for capital spending, leverage, and distributable cash flow details. Western Midstream Partners, LP Common Units 2025 Q4 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: Reported EPS of $0.47 missed consensus (~$0.91) and revenue of $1.03B versus ~$1.06B, a shortfall that triggered a pre-market gap-down and selling pressure. These headline misses are the primary near-term negative catalyst. Western Midstream Partners (NYSE:WES) Shares Gap Down on Disappointing Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Stifel lowered its price target from $43 to $42 and moved to a “hold” rating, signaling tepid near-term analyst sentiment and limiting upside expectations. WES price target lowered at Stifel

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on WES shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Western Midstream Partners from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, December 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on Western Midstream Partners from $39.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Friday, November 28th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Western Midstream Partners from $40.00 to $39.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price target on Western Midstream Partners from $43.00 to $42.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $41.17.

Insider Transactions at Western Midstream Partners

In other Western Midstream Partners news, SVP Christopher B. Dial sold 5,879 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $42.35, for a total value of $248,975.65. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 185,011 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,835,215.85. This trade represents a 3.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Western Midstream Partners

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Texas Yale Capital Corp. increased its stake in shares of Western Midstream Partners by 6.8% in the third quarter. Texas Yale Capital Corp. now owns 575,809 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $22,624,000 after buying an additional 36,438 shares during the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Western Midstream Partners by 18.9% during the 3rd quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 186,853 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $7,341,000 after acquiring an additional 29,754 shares in the last quarter. Caprock Group LLC acquired a new position in Western Midstream Partners during the 3rd quarter worth $1,158,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Western Midstream Partners by 2.4% in the 2nd quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC now owns 472,420 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $18,283,000 after purchasing an additional 11,055 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CUSHING ASSET MANAGEMENT LP dba NXG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT raised its stake in shares of Western Midstream Partners by 5.6% in the 3rd quarter. CUSHING ASSET MANAGEMENT LP dba NXG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT now owns 1,270,900 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $49,934,000 after purchasing an additional 67,000 shares in the last quarter. 84.82% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Western Midstream Partners Trading Down 0.9%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a quick ratio of 1.43 and a current ratio of 1.34. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $40.81 and its 200-day moving average price is $39.37. The firm has a market cap of $16.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.70 and a beta of 0.77.

Western Midstream Partners Company Profile

Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: WES) is a midstream energy infrastructure company that owns, operates and develops an integrated network of crude oil, natural gas and produced water gathering, processing, transportation and storage assets in the United States. The partnership’s primary offerings include pipeline transportation, fractionation services, natural gas liquids (NGL) logistics and produced water handling. Through its fee-based and commodity-based contracts, Western Midstream provides its customers with essential services that support efficient energy production and distribution.

The company’s asset portfolio spans key onshore basins, including the Delaware Basin in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, the San Juan Basin in New Mexico and Colorado, and the Denver-Julesburg Basin in Colorado.