ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) Shares Up 2.8% – Time to Buy?

ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)’s share price traded up 2.8% during mid-day trading on Friday. The company traded as high as $183.75 and last traded at $183.2260. Approximately 11,476,703 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 36% from the average session volume of 17,799,492 shares. The stock had previously closed at $178.23.

Key Stories Impacting ExxonMobil

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Upcoming earnings may provide support: Wall Street expects ExxonMobil to report year-over-year earnings growth next week, and Zacks says the company has factors that could support a potential earnings beat. Exxon Mobil Holdings Reports Next Week
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst estimates moved higher: Erste Group raised its FY2027 EPS forecast to $11.81 from $11.12, signaling improving expectations for ExxonMobil’s future earnings power. ExxonMobil analyst estimate report
• Positive Sentiment: Oil prices and upstream assets remain favorable: ExxonMobil’s low-cost Permian and Guyana operations are viewed as supporting production growth toward its 2030 ambitions. Higher crude prices, including Brent above $100 per barrel after Middle East attacks, have helped drive the stock’s recent gains. ExxonMobil long-term upstream production
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend and balance-sheet appeal: ExxonMobil is highlighted among mega-cap companies with a long record of raising payouts through different economic and interest-rate environments. Analysts also cite its stronger balance sheet relative to BP, while momentum-focused coverage points to continued investor interest. Dividend stocks with long payout records
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and relative-performance debate: ExxonMobil has substantially outperformed this year and compares favorably with BP on gains and financial strength, but analysts give Chevron an edge for further upside based on free cash flow, cost savings and projected 2026 earnings growth. Chevron versus ExxonMobil
• Negative Sentiment: Illinois refinery disruption: An issue at ExxonMobil’s Joliet refinery is contributing to higher gasoline prices in the Chicago area and could pressure near-term refinery operations, although the wider market impact remains uncertain. Midwest pump prices surge after Illinois refinery disruption

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have commented on XOM. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $199.00 price target on shares of ExxonMobil in a research note on Monday. HSBC reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $90.00 target price on shares of ExxonMobil in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Zacks Research upgraded ExxonMobil from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on ExxonMobil from $184.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, August 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of ExxonMobil from $177.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and thirteen have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $167.70.

ExxonMobil Price Performance

The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $165.33 and its 200-day simple moving average is $154.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $759.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.58, a P/E/G ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 0.21.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) last posted its earnings results 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 firm had revenue of $114.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.94 billion. ExxonMobil had a net margin of 8.88% and a return on equity of 13.14%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.64 EPS. Research analysts forecast that ExxonMobil Corporation will post 13.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ExxonMobil Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 17th were issued a dividend of $1.03 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 17th. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. ExxonMobil’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 53.02%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ExxonMobil

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Simplicity Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of ExxonMobil by 10.2% in the third quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC now owns 99,930 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $16,264,000 after purchasing an additional 9,251 shares during the period. Madrona Financial Services LLC lifted its position in ExxonMobil by 13.6% during the third quarter. Madrona Financial Services LLC now owns 1,722 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $280,000 after purchasing an additional 206 shares during the period. Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in ExxonMobil by 132.3% during the third quarter. Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 446 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $73,000 after purchasing an additional 254 shares during the period. NTV Asset Management LLC grew its stake in ExxonMobil by 8.6% during the third quarter. NTV Asset Management LLC now owns 75,193 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $12,238,000 after buying an additional 5,943 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sowell Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in ExxonMobil during the third quarter worth about $16,904,000. 61.80% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About ExxonMobil

Exxon Mobil Corporation, doing business as ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM), is an integrated energy company engaged in the exploration, development, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas. Its operations span the energy value chain, from resource development and refining to the marketing and distribution of fuels and other energy products.

Through its Energy Products segment, ExxonMobil manufactures and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, and other petroleum-based products. Its Chemical Products business produces petrochemicals, including commodity and performance products used in packaging, automotive components, construction materials, and consumer goods.