ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) Shares Up 1.2% – Should You Buy?

Shares of ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) rose 1.2% on Wednesday. The company traded as high as $164.37 and last traded at $163.35. 12,968,372 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 30% from the average daily volume of 18,396,119 shares. The stock had previously closed at $161.35.

ExxonMobil News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: ExxonMobil returned $9.4 billion to shareholders last quarter through dividends and share repurchases. The capital-return program reinforces the company’s reputation for rewarding investors and may support demand for XOM shares. ExxonMobil shareholder returns article
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted ExxonMobil’s low-cost Guyana and Permian Basin assets, production growth and cost reductions as drivers of long-term earnings and cash-flow expansion. ExxonMobil upstream assets article
• Positive Sentiment: Potential crude supply agreements with Vietnam could broaden ExxonMobil’s crude, LNG and LPG commercial opportunities in Asia. Vietnam supply agreements article
• Positive Sentiment: Surging diesel prices and refinery outages are creating a potentially favorable margin environment for integrated producers such as ExxonMobil, although benefits depend on regional supply conditions. Diesel prices article
• Neutral Sentiment: ExxonMobil’s integrated model offers more stability across the energy cycle than a shale-focused producer, but pure-play drillers may capture more upside if oil remains near $100 per barrel. ExxonMobil versus Devon Energy article
• Positive Sentiment: ExxonMobil and other defendants prevailed in a consumer lawsuit over plastic-recycling claims, removing a potential legal and reputational overhang. Plastic recycling lawsuit article
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo downgraded XOM from “strong buy” to “hold,” signaling reduced near-term conviction and likely limiting upside despite the reported price target.
• Negative Sentiment: Integrated majors have lagged independent refiners as refining margins strengthen, while an unconfirmed report of a potential $5.2 billion Kazakhstan fine represents additional regulatory risk. Kazakhstan fine report

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently weighed in on XOM. Wall Street Zen raised shares of ExxonMobil to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, September 5th. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of ExxonMobil from $182.00 to $177.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 17th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of ExxonMobil from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $175.00 target price (up from $150.00) on shares of ExxonMobil in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, Freedom Capital raised shares of ExxonMobil from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $164.78.

ExxonMobil Trading Up 0.6%

The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $160.47 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $153.89. The stock has a market capitalization of $678.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.21. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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 company had revenue of $114.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.94 billion. ExxonMobil had a return on equity of 13.14% and a net margin of 8.88%.During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.64 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that ExxonMobil Corporation will post 12.4 EPS for the current year.

ExxonMobil Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 17th were given a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 17th. ExxonMobil’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 53.02%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ExxonMobil

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates lifted its position in ExxonMobil by 35.2% in the third quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 2,333 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $380,000 after buying an additional 607 shares during the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its stake in ExxonMobil by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 57,083 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $9,290,000 after buying an additional 428 shares in the last quarter. Burkett Financial Services LLC boosted its position in shares of ExxonMobil by 27.1% in the third quarter. Burkett Financial Services LLC now owns 2,532 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $412,000 after acquiring an additional 540 shares during the last quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in ExxonMobil by 36.5% in the 3rd quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 13,353 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $2,173,000 after purchasing an additional 3,569 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Greenwich Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of ExxonMobil by 2.9% in the 2nd quarter. Greenwich Wealth Management LLC now owns 12,090 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,653,000 after purchasing an additional 337 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 61.80% of the company’s stock.

About ExxonMobil

Exxon Mobil Corporation, commonly known as ExxonMobil, is an integrated energy company engaged in the exploration, development, production and sale of crude oil and natural gas. The company also manufactures and markets fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and specialty products used in transportation, industrial and consumer applications.

ExxonMobil operates across the energy value chain through businesses that include upstream oil and natural gas production, refining and fuels marketing, chemical manufacturing, and lower-carbon solutions.