ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) Shares Climb 2.7% – Should You Buy?

Shares of ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) rose 2.7% on Thursday. The stock traded as high as $169.19 and last traded at $168.4810. 13,282,133 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 27% from the average daily volume of 18,174,777 shares. The stock had previously closed at $164.05.

More ExxonMobil News

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The Trump administration reportedly plans to roll back methane rules affecting oil and gas producers. Less stringent emissions requirements could reduce compliance costs and support profitability for ExxonMobil and other energy companies. What’s Going On With ExxonMobil Stock On Thursday?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to highlight ExxonMobil’s low debt load and strong liquidity. Financial flexibility could help the company withstand oil-price volatility, pursue acquisitions and maintain dividends and share repurchases. How XOM’s Strong Balance Sheet Helps Weather Oil Price Volatility
• Positive Sentiment: ExxonMobil is seeking to replicate its Guyana success in offshore Trinidad and Tobago, reinforcing its long-term production-growth strategy. The company is also expanding its FlexRobotics deployment with Helmerich & Payne, targeting nine systems to improve drilling safety and operating performance. Exxon Hopes to Repeat Guyana’s Oil Boom Offshore Trinidad and Tobago H&P and ExxonMobil Expand Deployment of FlexRobotics Technology
• Neutral Sentiment: The SEC will not pursue charges against Climate Action 100+ over activities related to ExxonMobil’s 2021 shareholder meeting, although it warned asset managers about disclosure obligations and potential limits on coordinated activist campaigns. The decision removes an immediate legal threat but leaves proxy-season regulatory uncertainty. Update: ExxonMobil Director Vote Prompts SEC Investigation
• Negative Sentiment: After a strong one-year advance, ExxonMobil’s valuation appears less compelling to some analysts. Estimates suggest limited upside from current levels, while Treasury bills currently offer competitive income, potentially restraining additional stock appreciation. ExxonMobil Surges 44% in a Year

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of ExxonMobil to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, September 5th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and issued a $182.00 target price on shares of ExxonMobil in a research report on Thursday, October 1st. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $175.00 target price (up from $150.00) on shares of ExxonMobil in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on ExxonMobil from $168.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 22nd. Finally, Freedom Capital upgraded ExxonMobil from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $164.78.

ExxonMobil Stock Performance

The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $161.17 and its 200 day moving average price is $154.06. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The firm has a market cap of $698.35 billion, a PE ratio of 21.68, a P/E/G ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.21.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 31st. The oil and gas company reported $3.52 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.56 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $114.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $109.94 billion. ExxonMobil had a net margin of 8.88% and a return on equity of 13.14%. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.64 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that ExxonMobil Corporation will post 12.4 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ExxonMobil Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Investors of record on Monday, August 17th were issued a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 17th. ExxonMobil’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 53.02%.

Institutional Trading of ExxonMobil

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Baring Financial LLC raised its stake in shares of ExxonMobil by 8.4% during the third quarter. Baring Financial LLC now owns 6,220 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,012,000 after purchasing an additional 484 shares during the period. Colton Groome Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in ExxonMobil by 2.5% during the 3rd quarter. Colton Groome Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,668 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $597,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Byrne Asset Management LLC increased its stake in ExxonMobil by 11.5% during the 3rd quarter. Byrne Asset Management LLC now owns 9,752 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,598,000 after buying an additional 1,002 shares during the period. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in ExxonMobil by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. now owns 231,681 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $37,706,000 after buying an additional 3,358 shares during the period. Finally, Silverleafe Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in ExxonMobil in the 3rd quarter worth $228,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 61.80% of the company’s stock.

ExxonMobil Company Profile

Exxon Mobil Corporation, commonly known as ExxonMobil, is an integrated energy company engaged in the exploration, development, production and sale of crude oil and natural gas. The company also manufactures and markets fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and specialty products used in transportation, industrial and consumer applications.

ExxonMobil operates across the energy value chain through businesses that include upstream oil and natural gas production, refining and fuels marketing, chemical manufacturing, and lower-carbon solutions.