Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) Trading Down 1.4% – Should You Sell?
by Mitch Edgeman · The Markets DailyExxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM – Get Free Report) shares traded down 1.4% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $162.93 and last traded at $163.0990. 17,109,156 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 23% from the average session volume of 22,135,891 shares. The stock had previously closed at $165.38.
Exxon Mobil News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Exxon Mobil this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley bumped its price target to $172 and set an “overweight” rating, adding near-term analyst support for the share price. Morgan Stanley raises XOM price target to $172 (Benzinga)
- Positive Sentiment: Bernstein raised its price target to $195 and reiterated an Outperform—another buy-side upgrade reinforcing upside expectations. Bernstein raises Exxon Mobil price target (Yahoo Finance)
- Positive Sentiment: Higher oil (prices above ~$95) from Middle East supply concerns is a direct tailwind for Exxon’s revenues and cash flow; several write-ups frame elevated oil as supporting Exxon’s earnings and dividend profile. Oil Over $95: Tailwind or Trap (Zacks) The Oil Shock Is Here to Stay (Yahoo Finance)
- Positive Sentiment: Erste Group raised FY2026 and FY2027 EPS estimates for Exxon (FY26 to ~$7.07, FY27 to ~$8.34), implying stronger forward earnings than prior consensus and supporting valuation upgrades. Erste Group raises Exxon EPS estimates (MarketBeat)
- Positive Sentiment: Operational wins—like the fully automated offshore well project in Guyana (Halliburton + Exxon collaboration)—highlight efficiency gains and production upside in advantaged basins. First fully automated offshore well in Guyana (Yahoo Finance)
- Neutral Sentiment: Exxon is reportedly weighing an exit from New Zealand to refocus on higher-return assets—strategic pruning could improve returns but may trim diversification. Exxon weighs New Zealand exit (Yahoo Finance)
- Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces note Exxon scores well on value/style metrics (Zacks) and is a go-to energy name for investors seeking income and value exposure. XOM as a top-ranked value stock (Zacks)
- Negative Sentiment: Some commentary flags valuation risk: Exxon’s market value has eclipsed high-growth names (e.g., Nvidia) in headline comparisons, prompting questions about whether the rally fully prices in longer-term risks and capital returns. Exxon valued like Nvidia—valuation concerns (Barchart) Exxon tops Nvidia in valuation (Seeking Alpha)
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several brokerages recently commented on XOM. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $118.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Piper Sandler lifted their target price on shares of Exxon Mobil from $145.00 to $186.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 12th. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $171.00 target price on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Loop Capital set a $123.00 price target on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Scotiabank reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $151.00.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on XOM
Exxon Mobil Trading Up 3.5%
The stock has a market capitalization of $713.22 billion, a PE ratio of 25.59, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 0.35. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $148.48 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $127.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.79.
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $1.71 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 company had revenue of $80.04 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $77.98 billion. Exxon Mobil’s quarterly revenue was down 1.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.67 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 earnings per share for the current year.
Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 12th were paid a dividend of $1.03 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 12th. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. Exxon Mobil’s payout ratio is 61.58%.
Insider Transactions at Exxon Mobil
In other Exxon Mobil news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 1,080 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 17,124 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,662,782. This trade represents a 5.93% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In the last three months, insiders sold 11,460 shares of company stock valued at $1,687,854. 0.03% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Exxon Mobil
A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. McAlvany Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Exxon Mobil in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,126,000. J. Derek Lewis & Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter worth approximately $462,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,727,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $3,371,000. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lifted its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 2.3% in the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 1,923,940 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $231,527,000 after acquiring an additional 43,460 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 61.80% of the company’s stock.
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.