Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) Shares Down 1.7% on Analyst Downgrade

Key Points

• Shares down 1.7% — Exxon fell after TD Cowen cut its price target from $175 to $172 while maintaining a Buy, with shares trading as low as $151.92 on below‑average volume.
• Analyst consensus is a Moderate Buy with an average target of $159.20 (1 Strong Buy, 10 Buy, 9 Hold, 1 Sell), reflecting mixed but generally constructive broker views.
• Company fundamentals: Exxon beat quarterly EPS ($1.71 vs. $1.63) and revenue estimates, has a $635B market cap and a $1.03 quarterly dividend (2.7% yield); insiders have recently sold small stakes (VP sold 5,000 shares).

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) shares fell 1.7% on Friday after TD Cowen lowered their price target on the stock from $175.00 to $172.00. TD Cowen currently has a buy rating on the stock. Exxon Mobil traded as low as $151.92 and last traded at $152.4290. 21,045,673 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 8% from the average session volume of 22,874,006 shares. The stock had previously closed at $155.04.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. HSBC upped 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. UBS Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $171.00 price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Wolfe Research lowered their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $158.00 to $153.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $160.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Scotiabank raised shares of Exxon Mobil to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Friday, March 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Exxon Mobil currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $159.20.

Insider Buying and Selling at Exxon Mobil

In related news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 5,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.75, for a total transaction of $698,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 23,584 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,295,864. This represents a 17.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders sold a total of 11,460 shares of company stock valued at $1,687,854 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Exxon Mobil

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

• Positive Sentiment: Multiple broker upgrades/price target raises signal continued analyst confidence (Jefferies, Wells Fargo, RBC) which supports upside expectations. Jefferies raises price target to $184
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target and moved to overweight, a notable vote of confidence from a large bank that can attract institutional interest. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Issues Positive Forecast for Exxon Mobil Stock Price
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen maintained a Buy rating and emphasizes attractive long‑term free cash flow despite near‑term headwinds, which supports a constructive medium/long‑term thesis. Exxon Mobil: Maintaining Buy Rating on Attractive Long‑Term Free Cash Flow Despite Near‑Term Earnings Headwinds
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 earnings preview expects single‑digit EPS growth; beats could boost the stock, but modest guidance or weakness in volumes/prices could pressure it. Earnings Preview: What To Expect From Exxon Mobil's Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector note: surging LNG demand from geopolitical disruptions could be a medium‑term tailwind for U.S. LNG exporters and integrated players with gas/LNG exposure (XOM has exposure but is not the pure play). 3 Energy Stocks to Watch Now as LNG Demand Surges (XOM)
• Neutral Sentiment: Options activity and unusual volatility are creating trading opportunities but also risk; expect wider intraday swings around headlines. Exxon Mobil: Options Become Lucrative Amid Unusual Volatilities
• Negative Sentiment: Wolfe Research cut its price target to $153, and a separate analyst downgrade has been cited as contributing to recent selling pressure. Wolfe Research Lowers Exxon Mobil Price Target to $153.00
• Negative Sentiment: News of a temporary ceasefire and a two‑week suspension of attacks on Iran triggered a sharp drop in crude, which removed the oil‑price tailwind and pressured XOM shares. Oil Prices Crash 16% on Iran War Ceasefire
• Negative Sentiment: Intraday reversals as the oil rally lost steam show the stock is sensitive to crude price swings and sentiment rotations away from energy shock scenarios. Exxon Mobil Stock Reverses As Oil Rally Loses Steam

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Exxon Mobil

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of XOM. Berbice Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Exxon Mobil in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. grew its stake in Exxon Mobil by 456.1% in the fourth 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 in the last quarter. Key Capital Management INC purchased a new position in Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Westfuller Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Exxon Mobil during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. 61.80% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Exxon Mobil Stock Down 1.7%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 1.15. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $154.29 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $131.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $635.14 billion, a PE ratio of 22.78, a PEG ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 0.29.

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

Exxon Mobil Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 12th were given a $1.03 dividend. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 12th. Exxon Mobil's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 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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