Investors Buy High Volume of ExxonMobil Call Options (NYSE:XOM)

Key Points

• Unusually heavy bullish options activity: Investors purchased 79,748 ExxonMobil call options, about 28% above the average volume, while XOM shares rose 2% to $187.03.
• Institutional ownership remains strong: Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 61.8% of ExxonMobil, with several major investors—including GQG Partners—recently increasing their positions.
• Analysts remain moderately bullish: ExxonMobil exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, and analysts’ consensus is a “Moderate Buy” with a $167.70 price target, although the stock’s rally and reliance on elevated refining margins may limit further upside.

ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Friday. Stock traders bought 79,748 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 28% compared to the average volume of 62,386 call options.

Institutional Trading of ExxonMobil

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in ExxonMobil by 5.7% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 28,364,314 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $4,812,790,000 after acquiring an additional 1,540,902 shares during the last quarter. Amundi boosted its holdings in shares of ExxonMobil by 5.1% during the first quarter. Amundi now owns 24,511,156 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $4,158,563,000 after purchasing an additional 1,192,386 shares during the last quarter. GQG Partners LLC grew its holdings in ExxonMobil by 153.3% in the 2nd quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 16,877,523 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $2,307,497,000 after buying an additional 10,214,420 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank increased its position in ExxonMobil by 5.9% during the first quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 12,376,418 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $2,099,783,000 after purchasing an additional 693,800 shares during the last quarter. Finally, National Pension Service increased its holdings in shares of ExxonMobil by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 9,664,021 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $1,321,265,000 after buying an additional 166,268 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 61.80% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have commented on XOM shares. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of ExxonMobil from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and set a $182.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Thursday, October 1st. Piper Sandler upped their price target on ExxonMobil from $158.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Mizuho cut their target price on shares of ExxonMobil from $175.00 to $170.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $178.00 target price on shares of ExxonMobil in a report on Tuesday, October 20th. Finally, Freedom Capital upgraded ExxonMobil from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and fourteen have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, ExxonMobil presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $167.70.

ExxonMobil Trading Up 2.0%

XOM traded up $3.74 on Friday, reaching $187.03. 21,824,505 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 17,721,350. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The company has a market cap of $775.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 0.21. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $167.76 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $154.35. ExxonMobil has a one year low of $112.51 and a one year high of $188.50.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 30th. The oil and gas company reported $4.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.12 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $110.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $104.89 billion. ExxonMobil had a net margin of 8.88% and a return on equity of 13.14%. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.88 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that ExxonMobil will post 13.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Key ExxonMobil News

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings exceeded expectations. ExxonMobil reported adjusted earnings of $4.23 per share, ahead of the roughly $4.08–$4.12 analyst consensus and well above $1.88 a year earlier. Net income reached approximately $15.4 billion, while revenue also surpassed estimates. ExxonMobil Announces Third-Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Refining was the key profit driver. Record or unusually strong refining margins, particularly for diesel, more than offset weaker upstream results and lifted earnings, cash flow and shareholder returns. Exxon’s refining operations earned more than its oil-production business for the first time in six years. Exxon, Chevron earnings propelled by war-driven refining surge
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder distributions are expanding. ExxonMobil raised its dividend by approximately 3.9%–4% and plans $20 billion in share repurchases during 2027. The company also highlighted production gains from Guyana, Kearl and PNG LNG, supporting its long-term growth profile. ExxonMobil Raises Dividend by 3.9%, Sets $20 Billion 2027 Buyback Plan
• Positive Sentiment: Higher oil prices provided a favorable backdrop. Brent crude approached $120 per barrel as Middle East tensions and other geopolitical disruptions tightened energy markets. Investors also showed bullish positioning through unusually heavy call-option activity.
• Neutral Sentiment: ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods said global refining disruptions may not have a quick fix. While this could sustain margins, it also underscores continuing geopolitical and operational uncertainty. The company and Chevron additionally canceled executive travel to a Gulf energy conference because of security concerns. ExxonMobil CEO Sees No Quick Fix for Global Refining Disruptions
• Negative Sentiment: After a powerful rally, XOM offers new investors a substantially lower dividend yield than it did at the start of the year. Its valuation and dependence on elevated, potentially temporary refining margins may limit further upside if oil prices or fuel spreads retreat.

About ExxonMobil

Exxon Mobil Corporation, doing business as ExxonMobil NYSE: XOM, is an integrated energy company engaged in the exploration, development, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas. Its operations span the energy value chain, from resource development and refining to the marketing and distribution of fuels and other energy products.

Through its Energy Products segment, ExxonMobil manufactures and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, and other petroleum-based products. Its Chemical Products business produces petrochemicals, including commodity and performance products used in packaging, automotive components, construction materials, and consumer goods.

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