Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) Reaches New 12-Month High Following Analyst Upgrade

Key Points

• After Morgan Stanley raised its price target from $134 to $172 and maintained an overweight rating, Exxon shares hit a new 52-week high, trading as high as $172.47 and last around $176.12 on the day.
• Analysts are mixed — nine Buys, nine Holds and one Sell — leaving Exxon with a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $151.
• The rally was driven by a broader oil-price surge tied to Middle East tensions and bullish technical momentum, though analysts caution that geopolitical uncertainty could quickly reverse gains.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Monday after Morgan Stanley raised their price target on the stock from $134.00 to $172.00. Morgan Stanley currently has an overweight rating on the stock. Exxon Mobil traded as high as $172.47 and last traded at $176.1240, with a volume of 684793 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $170.99.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the company. BNP Paribas Exane cut Exxon Mobil from a "neutral" rating to an "underperform" rating and set a $125.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday, December 29th. HSBC boosted their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $135.00 to $158.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Mizuho upped their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $140.00 to $162.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Exxon Mobil from $158.00 to $156.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $151.00.

Insider Activity at Exxon Mobil

In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 1,080 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.50, for a total transaction of $167,940.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 17,124 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,662,782. This represents a 5.93% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In the last three months, insiders sold 11,460 shares of company stock worth $1,687,854. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Exxon Mobil

Here are the key news stories impacting Exxon Mobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Oil-price driven rally: coverage notes that conflict in the Middle East has driven a sharp jump in oil and gas prices, helping lift Exxon and peers as beneficiaries of tighter supply and higher margins. Why ExxonMobil, Transocean, SLB, and Other Oil Stocks Surged This Week
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: a fresh analyst upgrade is cited as driving intraday strength (reported ~3.5% higher in one note), which can spark momentum buying and draw short-term attention. Exxon Mobil NYSE: XOM Trading 3.5% Higher on Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish technical setup: market coverage points to a favorable chart pattern combining today's oil rally with company-specific momentum, supporting further upside while momentum lasts. Exxon stock jumps as today’s oil rally meets a bullish chart
• Positive Sentiment: Buy-side commentary: retail/investor pieces are naming Exxon as a top oil pick given the supply shock — such recommendations can sustain buying interest in majors. The Best Oil Stock to Buy as Iran Tensions Rewrite the Global Energy Map
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector ETF flows/context: energy ETFs (e.g., VDE) are up strongly year-to-date as crude has moved above $90, underscoring broad sector strength that helps large-cap Exxon even if gains are not company-specific. This Vanguard ETF Is up 33% YTD and Still Has Massive Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: Commodity ripple effects: analyst notes on fertilizer and commodity chains highlight that higher oil supports Exxon’s margins, but also flag cross-commodity impacts that can be mixed for different parts of the economy. Oil and Fertilizer Prices May Soon Have Ripple Effects on These 3 Commodities Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail/AI picks coverage: a Finbold piece reporting ChatGPT stock picks highlights energy names as attractive amid volatility — may modestly influence retail flows but is not a primary driver. ChatGPT picks 3 best stocks to buy in April
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical uncertainty risk: analysts warn that uncertainty over how the Iran/Middle East conflict evolves — and political unpredictability around policy responses — could quickly reverse risk-on moves and increase market volatility. The problem for investors: We don't know how Trump wants the Iran war to end

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Exxon Mobil

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Berbice Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 456.1% in the 4th quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 228 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 187 shares during the period. Key Capital Management INC purchased a new position in Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Nvest Wealth Strategies Inc. purchased a new position in Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. 61.80% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Exxon Mobil Stock Performance

The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $149.30 and its 200-day simple moving average is $128.24. The company has a market capitalization of $727.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 1.15.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.63 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $80.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $77.98 billion. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 11.21% and a net margin of 8.68%.Exxon Mobil's revenue was down 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.67 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 EPS for the current year.

Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 12th were paid a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 12th. Exxon Mobil's payout ratio is 61.58%.

Exxon Mobil Company Profile

Exxon Mobil Corporation NYSE: XOM is an integrated oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, production, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products and the manufacture and sale of petrochemicals. Its operations span the full energy value chain, including upstream exploration and development of crude oil and natural gas; midstream transportation and storage; and downstream refining, product distribution and retail. The company also produces a broad range of chemical products for industrial and consumer applications.

ExxonMobil markets fuels and lubricants under well-known brands such as Exxon, Mobil and Esso, and its Mobil 1 motor oil is a prominent consumer product.

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