ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) Stock Rating Raised to "Strong-Buy" at Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research upgraded ExxonMobil to “strong buy” from “hold,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $167.70.
• Several firms raised their price targets, including Jefferies and Barclays at $200, reflecting optimism about ExxonMobil’s scale, integrated operations and exposure to higher oil prices.
• ExxonMobil reported $3.52 in quarterly EPS, slightly below the $3.56 consensus, although revenue exceeded estimates; institutional investors own 61.8% of the stock and several major holders increased their positions.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report issued on Monday, Zacks reports.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on XOM. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on ExxonMobil from $184.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, August 17th. TD Cowen upped their price target on ExxonMobil from $168.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, September 28th. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on ExxonMobil from $158.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 3rd. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on ExxonMobil from $177.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, October 15th. Finally, DZ Bank cut ExxonMobil from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $156.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and thirteen have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, ExxonMobil presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $167.70.

ExxonMobil Stock Performance

XOM opened at $177.76 on Monday. ExxonMobil has a 12-month low of $111.99 and a 12-month high of $180.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $736.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 0.21. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $164.58 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $154.65.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 31st. The oil and gas company reported $3.52 earnings per share (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 analyst estimates of $109.94 billion. ExxonMobil had a return on equity of 13.14% and a net margin of 8.88%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.64 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that ExxonMobil will post 12.52 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ExxonMobil

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in ExxonMobil by 5.7% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 28,364,314 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $4,812,790,000 after acquiring an additional 1,540,902 shares during the period. Amundi boosted its stake in ExxonMobil by 5.1% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 24,511,156 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $4,158,563,000 after acquiring an additional 1,192,386 shares during the last quarter. GQG Partners LLC grew its position in shares of ExxonMobil by 153.3% during the 2nd quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 16,877,523 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $2,307,497,000 after acquiring an additional 10,214,420 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank grew its position in shares of ExxonMobil by 5.9% during the 1st quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 12,376,418 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $2,099,783,000 after acquiring an additional 693,800 shares during the period. Finally, National Pension Service increased its stake in shares of ExxonMobil by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 9,664,021 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $1,321,265,000 after purchasing an additional 166,268 shares during the last quarter. 61.80% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More ExxonMobil News

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Barclays raised its price target to $200 and upgraded XOM to “overweight,” implying further upside and reinforcing confidence in ExxonMobil’s integrated business and exposure to higher commodity prices. Barclays raises ExxonMobil price target
• Positive Sentiment: Rising crude prices remain the primary catalyst. Oil has surged sharply in 2026 amid Middle East tensions, supporting expectations for stronger upstream earnings, while ExxonMobil’s Permian operations are benefiting from production growth, drilling technology and cost discipline. Oil explorers benefiting from higher crude prices
• Positive Sentiment: Investor articles continue to view ExxonMobil favorably ahead of its earnings update, citing its scale and diversification across exploration, refining, chemicals and specialty products. Its aviation-lubricants distribution agreement in the Americas also modestly expands its aftermarket reach. ExxonMobil outlook ahead of earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Shell’s planned expansion of Canadian LNG exports highlights continued industry investment in gas and LNG after major oil companies scaled back clean-energy ambitions. The move supports the long-term appeal of ExxonMobil’s LNG and integrated-energy strategy, but it is not a direct ExxonMobil announcement. Shell expands Canadian LNG operations
• Negative Sentiment: Crude prices retreated from recent highs after a waiver of Russia-related sanctions and tariffs, reducing near-term support for oil producers. Investors may also be cautious because ExxonMobil’s strong run has lifted valuation, while its latest reported quarter narrowly missed the earnings-per-share consensus despite beating revenue estimates. ExxonMobil shares and crude price pullback

ExxonMobil Company Profile

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.

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