ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) Given Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Key Points

• Analyst consensus: 21 analysts give ExxonMobil an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" (10 buys, 10 holds, 1 strong buy) with an average 12‑month price target of $161.55.
• Strategy and risks: Exxon is shifting into new areas (advanced materials, CCS-enabled services and integration of Pioneer assets) that could boost Permian production and de‑risk cash flows, but investor sentiment faces headwinds from competitor BP's stronger near‑term performance and a pending lawsuit alleging shifted orphan‑well cleanup costs.
• Financial snapshot: Exxon recently beat quarterly estimates (EPS $1.71 vs. $1.63, revenue $80.04B) and has a market cap of about $615.8B; it pays a quarterly dividend of $1.03 (annualized $4.12, yield ~2.8%, payout ratio ~61.6%).

ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the twenty-one research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $161.55.

A number of analysts recently commented on XOM shares. Wolfe Research cut shares of ExxonMobil from an "outperform" rating to a "peer perform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 21st. TD Cowen dropped their price target on shares of ExxonMobil from $175.00 to $172.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of ExxonMobil from $150.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of ExxonMobil from $140.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of ExxonMobil in a research note on Friday, April 10th.

ExxonMobil News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer singled out Exxon (alongside Chevron) as part of a “classic long-term” oil play, which can boost retail/institutional investor confidence in XOM’s steady, dividend-focused positioning. Jim Cramer Says Oil Companies Like Chevron and Exxon “Have Classic Long-Term Approaches”
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights a strategic shift at Exxon toward new business areas (advanced materials, CCS-enabled services, and integration of Pioneer assets) that could de‑risk future cash flows and support longer-term growth expectations. ExxonMobil’s latest move shows a shift by the global oil giant
• Positive Sentiment: A bullish preview argues XOM remains undervalued vs. fundamentals, citing Permian production gains from Pioneer assets and growth in new divisions — a narrative that supports buy-side interest ahead of results. Exxon Mobil's Earnings Might Change The Game (Preview)
• Positive Sentiment: Macro headlines show oil futures rising after U.S.-Iran peace talks were scrapped — higher oil prices generally lift upstream earnings and cash flow for majors like Exxon. 5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens
• Negative Sentiment: Competitor BP is being portrayed as outperforming peers into Q1 results, a narrative that could pressure relative-performance investors and prompt reweighting away from Exxon if BP’s operational/financial beats continue. Big Oil Stocks: Why BP Is Leaving ExxonMobil in the Dust Ahead of Q1 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit alleges ExxonMobil participated in a scheme shifting orphan-well cleanup costs to taxpayers — potential legal, remediation and reputational risks that investors will watch for escalation or material liabilities. Lawsuit claims Exxon Mobil, Empire Petroleum defrauded taxpayers in orphan well scheme
• Neutral Sentiment: Exxon’s large charitable fundraising in Houston generates positive PR but is unlikely to move the stock materially; useful for stakeholder relations, not near-term earnings. Exxon Mobil raises record-breaking $16 million for Houston nonprofits, mostly for United Way

ExxonMobil Stock Performance

Shares of XOM stock opened at $148.15 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $615.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.15, a PEG ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The firm's 50 day moving average is $154.74 and its 200 day moving average is $134.37. ExxonMobil has a 12 month low of $101.18 and a 12 month high of $176.41.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.63 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $80.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $77.98 billion. ExxonMobil had a net margin of 8.68% and a return on equity of 11.21%. ExxonMobil's revenue was down 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.67 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that ExxonMobil will post 9.94 earnings per share for the current year.

ExxonMobil Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 12th were paid a $1.03 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 12th. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. ExxonMobil's dividend payout ratio is currently 61.58%.

Insider Transactions at ExxonMobil

In other ExxonMobil news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 1,080 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.50, for a total value of $167,940.00. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 17,124 shares in the company, valued at $2,662,782. This represents a 5.93% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 11,460 shares of company stock valued at $1,687,854. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of ExxonMobil

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of XOM. Berbice Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ExxonMobil during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ExxonMobil during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. raised its position in shares of ExxonMobil by 456.1% during the 4th quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 228 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 187 shares in the last quarter. Key Capital Management INC purchased a new stake in shares of ExxonMobil during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Westfuller Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ExxonMobil during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. 61.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil 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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