Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co Increases Holdings in ExxonMobil Corporation $XOM

Key Points

• Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co raised its stake in ExxonMobil by 1.1%, buying 7,500 shares to hold 662,803 shares worth $79.76 million, making XOM its 24th-largest position (0.5% of the fund).
• ExxonMobil beat Q1 estimates, reporting $1.16 EPS vs. $0.98 expected and $83.16 billion in revenue, and announced a $1.03 quarterly dividend (ex-dividend May 15) equal to a $4.12 annual payout (~2.7% yield).
• The stock carries a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” with an average target of $161.70, and several analysts have recently raised price targets amid a $643.9 billion market capitalization.

Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co lifted its position in ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM - Free Report) by 1.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 662,803 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after purchasing an additional 7,500 shares during the quarter. ExxonMobil comprises 0.5% of Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co's holdings, making the stock its 24th largest position. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co's holdings in ExxonMobil were worth $79,762,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Peoples Bank OH raised its stake in shares of ExxonMobil by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Peoples Bank OH now owns 14,993 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $1,804,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. MOKAN Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of ExxonMobil by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. MOKAN Wealth Management Inc. now owns 5,903 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $711,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Field & Main Bank raised its stake in shares of ExxonMobil by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 23,393 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $2,815,000 after purchasing an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. Capstone Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of ExxonMobil by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. Capstone Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,606 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $314,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sunburst Financial Group LLC raised its position in ExxonMobil by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. Sunburst Financial Group LLC now owns 3,526 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $424,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. 61.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

ExxonMobil Stock Up 0.8%

Shares of XOM opened at $154.90 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. ExxonMobil Corporation has a 12 month low of $101.18 and a 12 month high of $176.41. The stock's 50 day moving average is $155.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $135.55. The firm has a market cap of $643.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.12, a PEG ratio of 0.69 and a beta of 0.19.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 1st. The oil and gas company reported $1.16 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.18. ExxonMobil had a return on equity of 10.24% and a net margin of 7.57%.The company had revenue of $83.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $81.13 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.76 earnings per share. ExxonMobil's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that ExxonMobil Corporation will post 11.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ExxonMobil Announces Dividend

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 paid a $1.03 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. ExxonMobil's payout ratio is currently 69.48%.

Key Headlines Impacting ExxonMobil

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results and beat: Exxon reported stronger-than-expected Q1 profitability (adjusted EPS ~ $1.16) driven by Permian and Guyana contributions and structural cost savings, which supports near-term cash flow and buyback/dividend capacity. ExxonMobil Post Q1 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: RBC reaffirmed a "sector perform" rating and a $180 price target, implying upside vs. current levels and providing a supportive analyst view. RBC Reaffirms Rating
• Positive Sentiment: Technology-driven exploration gains: Exxon says new AI tools let it interpret Guyana seismic data in days instead of months, potentially accelerating project development and reserve conversion. That boosts the company’s long-term production optionality. Exxon Using AI in Guyana (Reuters)
• Neutral Sentiment: Old‑economy / defensive screen: Several pieces list Exxon among non‑AI/tech plays to consider amid the market rally, which could attract rotation flows but also marks it as a value/legacy play rather than a growth leader. Walmart and 8 More Old Economy Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Narrative/valuation nudges: Analyst fair‑value estimates have ticked modestly higher as firm-level cash generation expectations and oil-price assumptions shift; useful to watch updated oil forecasts and capex guidance. Narrative Shifting
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical derisking knocks the stock: Barron’s reports oil majors (including Exxon) slid as markets bet the Iran conflict may be nearing a settlement — a potential end to the geopolitical premium supporting elevated oil prices. That’s the primary driver of today’s weakness. Exxon, Chevron, Other Oil Stocks Sink
• Negative Sentiment: Supply signals: Reports that the U.S. shipped large volumes of crude and peers are planning production boosts (e.g., Diamondback) suggest potential medium-term supply pressure if higher flows persist — a headwind for oil prices and integrated majors’ upstream margins. US Ships 250 Million Barrels
• Negative Sentiment: Peer actions increase sector volatility: Independent producers raising drilling and production to capture windfall prices can add near-term supply and weigh on oil-price upside that benefits Exxon. Diamondback Plans to Drill More

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently weighed in on XOM shares. Barclays lifted their price target on ExxonMobil from $145.00 to $163.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, March 16th. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on ExxonMobil from $186.00 to $182.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. BNP Paribas Exane set a $165.00 price target on ExxonMobil and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a "sector perform" rating and set a $180.00 price target on shares of ExxonMobil in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on ExxonMobil from $140.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $161.70.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 1,080 shares of ExxonMobil stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the vice president directly owned 17,124 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,662,782. The trade was a 5.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Insiders sold 6,460 shares of company stock valued at $989,104 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.03% 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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