Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) Reaches New 1-Year High on Analyst Upgrade

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday after Zacks Research upgraded the stock from a strong sell rating to a hold rating. The stock traded as high as $143.76 and last traded at $144.0080, with a volume of 8585096 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $138.40.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on XOM. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Monday. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $171.00 price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Exxon Mobil from $146.00 to $148.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Piper Sandler cut their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $144.00 to $142.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $140.59.

Insider Buying and Selling at Exxon Mobil

In related news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.75, for a total value of $698,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 23,584 shares in the company, valued at $3,295,864. The trade was a 17.49% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 11,000 shares of company stock worth $1,406,570. 0.03% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Exxon Mobil

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

• Positive Sentiment: Evercore ISI reaffirmed its buy view on Exxon, reinforcing buy-side support and helping momentum into the trade. Evercore ISI Keeps Their Buy Rating on Exxon Mobil (XOM)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlight Exxon’s record output and large buybacks as potential re-rating catalysts — the “bull case” story that could increase returns and justify higher multiples. The Bull Case For Exxon Mobil (XOM) Could Change Following Record Output And Massive Buybacks – Learn Why
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen raised its price target to $145 and kept a buy rating, adding another constructive analyst signal supporting further upside. TD Cowen Raise
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary (CNBC’s “Final Trades”) and intraday flows showed buying interest — the stock rallied in recent sessions as investors leaned into the execution narrative. Exxon Mobil on CNBC’s ‘Final Trades’
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo trimmed its target slightly to $156 but kept an overweight rating — a modest tweak that is not a directional change to their thesis. Wells Fargo Lowers Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Exxon agreed a settlement related to an arbitration with Sintana Energy (reported as a ~$9m resolution) — likely immaterial to Exxon’s overall cash flow but removes a legal overhang. Sintana Energy Settlement
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces (Zacks, Seeking Alpha, Morningstar) are flagging XOM as a value/dividend play amid oil weakness, which drives trading interest but is not an immediate catalyst. Zacks Trending Stock
• Negative Sentiment: BNP Paribas Exane downgraded XOM to “underperform” with a $125 target — a more bearish call that could cap upside if other shops follow. BNP Paribas Downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: VP Darrin Talley sold 5,000 shares (SEC Form 4 filing) — a small-management liquidity event some investors may view as mildly negative. Insider Sale Filing

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Exxon Mobil

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

Exxon Mobil Trading Up 2.7%

The firm has a market cap of $622.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 15.25 and a beta of 0.39. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $124.49 and its 200-day moving average price is $116.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $1.71 earnings per share 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 for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $77.98 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.67 EPS. Exxon Mobil’s quarterly revenue was down 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 12th will be given a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 12th. Exxon Mobil’s payout ratio is presently 61.58%.

About Exxon Mobil

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.