Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC Raises Position in ExxonMobil Corporation $XOM

Key Points

• Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors increased its ExxonMobil stake by 17.3% in the fourth quarter, buying 29,999 additional shares and bringing its position to 203,070 shares worth about $24.4 million.
• Wall Street sentiment on ExxonMobil remains generally positive, with analysts assigning an average “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $164.90, even as some firms adjusted targets up or down.
• ExxonMobil reported solid quarterly results, beating EPS and revenue estimates, and it also announced a quarterly dividend of $1.03 per share payable June 10, implying an annualized yield of about 2.7%.

Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC boosted its stake in ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM - Free Report) by 17.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 203,070 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after buying an additional 29,999 shares during the quarter. ExxonMobil makes up approximately 1.4% of Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC's holdings in ExxonMobil were worth $24,437,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Berbice Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in ExxonMobil 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 valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 187 shares in the last quarter. Key Capital Management INC purchased a new position in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Nvest Wealth Strategies Inc. purchased a new position in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. 61.80% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

XOM has been the topic of a number of research reports. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of ExxonMobil from $183.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of ExxonMobil from $140.00 to $162.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of ExxonMobil from $163.00 to $182.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of ExxonMobil from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price objective on shares of ExxonMobil from $195.00 to $182.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $164.90.

ExxonMobil Trading Down 3.1%

Shares of XOM stock opened at $150.18 on Wednesday. The company's 50-day moving average price is $155.70 and its 200-day moving average price is $139.67. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The stock has a market cap of $622.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.33, a PEG ratio of 0.68 and a beta of 0.19. ExxonMobil Corporation has a twelve month low of $101.18 and a twelve month high of $176.41.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The oil and gas company reported $1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $83.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $81.13 billion. ExxonMobil had a net margin of 7.57% and a return on equity of 10.24%. The company's revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.76 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that ExxonMobil Corporation will post 11.49 earnings per share for the current year.

ExxonMobil Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be given a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. ExxonMobil's payout ratio is presently 69.48%.

More ExxonMobil News

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: ExxonMobil is seeking environmental approval for the Haimara gas-condensate project in Guyana’s Stabroek block, a sign of continued expansion in one of its most important growth areas. ExxonMobil seeks environmental approval for new offshore project in Guyana
• Positive Sentiment: Several reports highlighted ExxonMobil as a top high-yield energy name, reinforcing investor interest in its dividend and defensive profile amid market volatility. 5 Top-Ranked High-Yielding Energy Stocks to Buy for a Stable Portfolio
• Neutral Sentiment: Occidental Petroleum is taking a 10% stake in ExxonMobil’s offshore Trinidad deepwater block, which validates the project but also signals Exxon is sharing development risk and future upside. Exclusive: Occidental takes 10% stake in Exxon deepwater block offshore Trinidad, sources say
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to frame Exxon as an income and energy-price play, with bullish comparisons tied to higher oil prices and stable cash generation. Oil Above $90: Is ExxonMobil a Better Buy Than ConocoPhillips?
• Negative Sentiment: Energy stocks fell late in the day, and XOM was caught in the sector-wide selloff as investors reacted to softer oil prices and shifting geopolitical headlines. Sector Update: Energy Stocks Fall Late Afternoon
• Negative Sentiment: Oil prices slipped after comments from President Trump that Iran talks were “proceeding nicely,” which weighed on the broader energy complex and likely pressured ExxonMobil shares. USO, UCO, BATL, XOM Slip: Oil Dips Below $100 After Trump Says Iran Talks ‘Proceeding Nicely’

Insider Activity at ExxonMobil

In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 1,080 shares of ExxonMobil stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.50, for a total transaction of $167,940.00. Following the sale, the vice president owned 17,124 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,662,782. The trade was a 5.93% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.03% of the company's stock.

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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