Essex Financial Services Inc. Increases Stock Holdings in ExxonMobil Corporation $XOM

Key Points

• Essex Financial Services Inc. increased its ExxonMobil stake by 6.3% in the fourth quarter, adding 8,190 shares to bring its total to 137,532 shares worth about $16.6 million.
• Other institutional investors also boosted their positions, and 61.8% of ExxonMobil’s stock is now owned by hedge funds and other institutions. That suggests continued broad professional interest in the company.
• ExxonMobil recently beat earnings estimates and continues to pay a quarterly dividend of $1.03 per share, while analysts remain split overall with a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $165.55.

Essex Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM - Free Report) by 6.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 137,532 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after purchasing an additional 8,190 shares during the quarter. ExxonMobil accounts for 0.9% of Essex Financial Services Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest holding. Essex Financial Services Inc.'s holdings in ExxonMobil were worth $16,551,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of XOM. Capital Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in ExxonMobil by 6.6% in the fourth quarter. Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 231,488 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $27,857,000 after buying an additional 14,233 shares during the last quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC increased its holdings in ExxonMobil by 5.6% in the third quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC now owns 166,547 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $18,778,000 after buying an additional 8,853 shares during the last quarter. HORAN Wealth LLC increased its holdings in ExxonMobil by 78.3% in the third quarter. HORAN Wealth LLC now owns 13,180 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $1,486,000 after buying an additional 5,788 shares during the last quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC increased its holdings in ExxonMobil by 46.6% in the third quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC now owns 35,160 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $3,997,000 after buying an additional 11,177 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co grew its holdings in shares of ExxonMobil by 8.6% during the third quarter. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co now owns 655,303 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $73,885,000 after purchasing an additional 51,900 shares during the last quarter. 61.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

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 value of $167,940.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 17,124 shares in the company, valued at $2,662,782. This represents a 5.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.03% of the stock is owned by insiders.

ExxonMobil News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Exxon executives warned that global oil inventories are nearing dangerously low levels, suggesting a potential price spike in crude if supply tightens further. That backdrop is supportive for ExxonMobil because higher oil prices can lift upstream earnings and cash flow. Exxon warns oil inventories will hit dangerously low levels in weeks, forcing prices to shoot higher
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho raised its 2026 and 2027 oil price outlooks and lifted its price target on ExxonMobil, reinforcing a constructive view on the stock if energy prices stay firm. Mizuho Increases 2026 and 2027 Oil Price Outlooks, Lifts Exxon Mobil (XOM) Target
• Positive Sentiment: Exxon’s strong balance sheet was highlighted as a major advantage, giving the company flexibility to weather volatility, fund acquisitions, and sustain shareholder returns. Why ExxonMobil's Strong Balance Sheet Matters for Investors
• Neutral Sentiment: Exxon remains a heavily watched stock, with new articles focusing on its long-term prospects, including Guyana growth plans and conference commentary. These pieces are informative but don’t add an immediate catalyst. Here is What to Know Beyond Why Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) is a Trending Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Energy shares moved lower late Friday as the broader sector weakened, and oil prices slipped below $89 amid easing geopolitical fears and talk of Iran negotiations, which can pressure ExxonMobil’s near-term earnings outlook. Sector Update: Energy Stocks Fall Late Afternoon
• Negative Sentiment: Trump’s refusal to ease Iran sanctions and the associated drop in oil prices weighed on the energy complex, limiting support for ExxonMobil despite the company’s longer-term supply optimism. Trump Holds the Line on Iran: No Sanctions Relief as Oil Slides Below $89

ExxonMobil Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE XOM opened at $145.42 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $155.03 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $140.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 1.04. The firm has a market cap of $602.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.52, a PEG ratio of 0.63 and a beta of 0.19. ExxonMobil Corporation has a 1 year low of $101.18 and a 1 year high of $176.41.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The oil and gas company reported $1.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $83.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $81.13 billion. ExxonMobil had a return on equity of 10.24% and a net margin of 7.57%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.76 EPS. Research analysts forecast that ExxonMobil Corporation will post 11.49 EPS for the current fiscal year.

ExxonMobil Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be issued a $1.03 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. ExxonMobil's dividend payout ratio is presently 69.48%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. TD Cowen dropped their target price on ExxonMobil from $175.00 to $172.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of ExxonMobil from $150.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of ExxonMobil from $140.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of ExxonMobil from $171.00 to $174.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of ExxonMobil from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $165.55.

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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