ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) Stock Price Up 2% - Time to Buy?

Key Points

• ExxonMobil shares rose 2% to about $154.61, supported by higher crude prices, strong refining margins and production growth, although the company narrowly missed quarterly EPS estimates.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: Bank of America downgraded the stock to “neutral,” while Wells Fargo and Jefferies maintained bullish views. The consensus rating is “Hold”, with an average price target of $162.95.
• Potential long-term growth projects include the Whiptail development in Guyana and a possible $80 billion Kashagan expansion in Kazakhstan, but Exxon faces execution uncertainty and increased political pressure to lower gasoline prices. The company continues to offer a quarterly dividend of $1.03, yielding approximately 2.7%.

Shares of ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) traded up 2% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $154.87 and last traded at $154.6070. 11,806,768 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 39% from the average session volume of 19,419,975 shares. The stock had previously closed at $151.63.

More ExxonMobil News

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Higher crude prices and record refining margins are supporting ExxonMobil’s near-term cash generation. Analysts also point to strong production growth, a solid balance sheet and a potentially discounted valuation despite the company’s second-quarter earnings miss. Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights ExxonMobil, Chevron and BP
• Positive Sentiment: ExxonMobil selected Sercel’s Marlin software for its Whiptail development in Guyana. The platform is intended to coordinate pipe-laying and mooring activities, supporting execution of a major growth project in one of the company’s most important upstream regions. ExxonMobil selects Sercel’s Marlin software suite for Whiptail project
• Neutral Sentiment: ExxonMobil has reportedly linked a potential $80 billion expansion of Kazakhstan’s Kashagan oil field to resolving a long-running dispute with the government and international companies. A settlement could create substantial long-term growth, but the investment remains uncertain until the dispute is resolved. Exxon Links New $80 Billion Kazakh Oil Venture to Ending Dispute
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment is mixed: Freedom Capital moved ExxonMobil from “strong sell” to “hold,” while DZ Bank lowered its stock rating. A separate analysis described compelling growth potential but emphasized execution and commodity-price risks. ExxonMobil upgraded by Freedom Capital
• Negative Sentiment: President Donald Trump is pressuring ExxonMobil and Chevron to reduce gasoline prices, arguing that the companies benefited excessively from higher crude prices. The comments increase regulatory and political scrutiny and could weigh on margins or shareholder returns if they lead to pricing restrictions. President Trump Pressures Exxon, Chevron to Lower Gas Prices

Analyst Ratings Changes

XOM has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Bank of America downgraded shares of ExxonMobil from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $154.00 to $158.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $182.00 price objective on shares of ExxonMobil in a research note on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on ExxonMobil from $178.00 to $184.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Scotiabank lifted their target price on ExxonMobil from $128.00 to $163.00 and gave the stock a "sector outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane set a $165.00 price target on shares of ExxonMobil and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $162.95.

ExxonMobil Trading Up 2.0%

The stock has a market capitalization of $640.84 billion, a PE ratio of 19.90, a P/E/G ratio of 0.62 and a beta of 0.17. The company's 50 day moving average price is $145.82 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $149.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 0.85.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 31st. The oil and gas company reported $3.52 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $3.56 by ($0.04). The business 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 quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.64 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that ExxonMobil Corporation will post 11.54 earnings per share for the current year.

ExxonMobil Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 17th will be issued a $1.03 dividend. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 17th. ExxonMobil's dividend payout ratio is presently 53.02%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of XOM. Berbice Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in ExxonMobil in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. grew its holdings 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 worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 187 shares during the period. Aventus Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of ExxonMobil during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Key Capital Management INC purchased a new stake in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 61.80% of the company's stock.

ExxonMobil Company Profile

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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