U.S. natural gas futures ended the week of Nov. 6 higher as cooler weather forecasts raised expectations for heating demand. Prices recovered after three straight weeks of losses, helped by steady liquefied natural gas (LNG) export demand. However, mild weather across much of the country and relatively high inventories continued to limit gains.

With winter approaching, investors interested in natural gas stocks may want to consider The Williams Companies (WMB Quick QuoteWMB - Free Report) , EQT Corporation (EQT Quick QuoteEQT - Free Report) and Excelerate Energy (EE Quick QuoteEE - Free Report) .

Natural Gas Prices Recover During the Week

Natural gas futures gained ground during the week as weather forecasts turned colder for parts of the Northeast and Midwest. The December contract settled at $2.998 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) on Nov. 6, posting a weekly gain of 3.5%. The advance ended three consecutive weeks of declines. Expectations of increased heating consumption, slightly lower production readings and steady LNG export demand supported prices. However, forecasts continued to show warmer-than-normal temperatures across much of the United States through mid-November. These conditions kept heating demand relatively weak and prevented natural gas futures from moving firmly above the $3 mark.

Gas Inventories Rise Less Than Expected

The Energy Information Administration reported a 77-billion-cubic-foot (Bcf) increase in natural gas inventories for the week ended Oct. 30, compared with analysts' expectations of an 81-Bcf build. The increase was still above the five-year average of 61 Bcf. Total inventories totaled 3,801 Bcf, or 54 Bcf above the five-year average, but 109 Bcf below the year-ago level. The figures suggest that supplies remain comfortable ahead of winter, although the smaller-than-expected build provided some relief.

Colder Weather May Support Natural Gas Prices

Natural gas prices may find further support as winter approaches and households begin using more fuel for heating. Forecasts already indicate colder conditions in parts of the northern and northeastern United States, which may lift consumption in the coming weeks. LNG exports remain another source of demand. However, inventories are still above their five-year average, and additional storage builds remain possible if mild weather continues. A sustained period of colder temperatures would help reduce inventories and improve the outlook for prices.

For natural gas investors, the recent weekly gain offers some encouragement after several weeks of weakness. The coming weeks will largely depend on how quickly heating demand picks up and whether LNG exports remain strong. Higher winter consumption may help offset ample supplies, although weather uncertainty is likely to keep prices volatile.

3 Stocks to Focus on

Investors looking for exposure to natural gas production, transportation and LNG infrastructure may consider The Williams Companies, EQT Corporation and Excelerate Energy — each carrying Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Williams Companies: Williams Companies is a natural gas infrastructure operator with businesses spanning transmission, gathering, processing, storage and related marketing. Its network is concentrated around major U.S. supply and demand centers, with Transco serving as a key pipeline corridor. The company also has large gathering positions in the Marcellus, Utica and Haynesville, which together account for most of its gathering volumes.

In the Haynesville, Williams is expanding its wellhead-to-market system, supported by gathering capacity, Gulf Coast connections and 120 Bcf of storage. Its assets are positioned to move gas toward power plants, industrial users and LNG export facilities, giving the company broad exposure to rising natural gas demand.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 earnings per share indicates 21% year-over-year growth. Williams Companies’ expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is 18.6%, which compares favorably with the industry's growth rate of 11.3%.

EQT Corporation: EQT Corporation is a major U.S. natural gas producer operating primarily in the Appalachian Basin. Its business combines gas production with gathering, transportation and storage infrastructure. The company controls approximately one million undeveloped core net acres and estimates that its low-cost operations can generate positive unlevered free cash flow at natural gas prices near $2 per MMBtu.

EQT is also expanding its exposure to growing electricity and LNG demand. A 10-year agreement to supply 325,000 dekatherms of gas daily to a planned West Virginia power plant could create additional revenue opportunities. Its LNG supply arrangements may further support long-term cash generation.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EQT’s 2026 earnings per share indicates a 26.9% year-over-year improvement. The firm has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 8.4%, on average.

Excelerate Energy: Excelerate Energy helps move LNG into markets that need dependable natural gas supply. Its main assets include floating storage and regasification units, or FSRUs, which receive LNG, turn it back into gas and deliver it to local markets. The company has 12 floating regasification terminals in operation and has handled more than 8,300 Bcf of regasified LNG deliveries worldwide.

Growth is coming from new projects and better use of existing vessels. Excelerate is advancing Iraq’s first LNG import terminal, operating the Excelerate Acadia in Jordan and preparing to redeploy the Express to Colombia. It is also converting an LNG carrier into a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit for expected commercial use in 2028.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Excelerate Energy’s 2026 earnings per share indicates 21.1% year-over-year growth. The firm beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in the last two quarters.