Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) Shares Up 3.9% After Analyst Upgrade

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) traded up 3.9% on Tuesday after Zacks Research upgraded the stock from a strong sell rating to a hold rating. The stock traded as high as $145.01 and last traded at $143.8190. 37,445,983 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 76% from the average session volume of 21,335,500 shares. The stock had previously closed at $138.40.

XOM has been the subject of several other research reports. Citigroup increased their price target on Exxon Mobil from $115.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Mizuho boosted their target price on Exxon Mobil from $129.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Piper Sandler cut their target price on shares of Exxon Mobil from $144.00 to $142.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Exxon Mobil from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $137.00 to $134.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Exxon Mobil presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $139.19.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.19, for a total transaction of $351,570.00. Following the sale, the vice president owned 28,584 shares in the company, valued at $3,349,758.96. This represents a 9.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

More Exxon Mobil News

Here are the key news stories impacting Exxon Mobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and operational drivers: Exxon reported a Q4 beat with revenue and EPS strength driven by Permian and Guyana production, which underpins near-term cash flow and the valuation re-check by analysts. Exxon Mobil (XOM) Valuation Check After Q4 Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade/price-target lift: TD Cowen raised its price target to $145 and kept a buy rating, signaling incremental upside from current levels. TD Cowen price target raise
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo remains constructive: Wells Fargo kept an overweight rating and a $156 target after Q4, suggesting continued analyst confidence in upside from earnings execution. Wells Fargo target update
• Positive Sentiment: Value narrative: Analysts and commentators highlight Exxon as a value/dividend play even amid an oil rout, which can attract income-focused investors. Exxon Mobil: Strong Value Despite Oil Rout
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst roundups and coverage: Several analyst insight pieces recap company fundamentals and sector positioning without a clear directional call; useful for context but not immediate catalysts. Analysts Offer Insights (Globe & Mail)
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor interest/visibility: Zacks notes XOM is a trending stock on its platform — increased attention can amplify moves but doesn’t guarantee direction. Zacks trending stock note
• Neutral Sentiment: Longer-term execution view: Morningstar coverage highlights continued execution and progress toward 2030 targets — relevant for strategic holders but less of an immediate price driver. Morningstar: earnings & 2030 targets
• Negative Sentiment: BNP Paribas Exane downgrade: BNP Paribas cut XOM from Neutral to Underperform with a $125 price target, flagging downside risk relative to current levels and adding selling pressure. BNP Paribas downgrade (The Fly)

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Exxon Mobil

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Key Capital Management INC bought a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Nvest Wealth Strategies Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. DecisionPoint Financial LLC lifted its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 968.0% in the 4th quarter. DecisionPoint Financial LLC now owns 267 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 242 shares during the period. Finally, Westfuller Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil in the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 61.80% of the company’s stock.

Exxon Mobil Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.79. The company has a market capitalization of $606.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 14.93 and a beta of 0.39. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $123.25 and its 200-day moving average is $116.34.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $1.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.63 by $0.08. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 8.68% and a return on equity of 11.21%. The firm had revenue of $82.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $77.98 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.67 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Exxon Mobil Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 12th will be paid a dividend of $1.03 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 12th. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. Exxon Mobil’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 61.58%.

Exxon Mobil Company Profile

Exxon Mobil 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.