ExxonMobil Corporation $XOM Stake Reduced by Verus Capital Partners LLC

Verus Capital Partners LLC cut its holdings in ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) by 7.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 42,386 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 3,378 shares during the quarter. Verus Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in ExxonMobil were worth $5,101,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Berbice Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. increased its stake in ExxonMobil by 456.1% in the 4th quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 228 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 187 shares in the last quarter. Key Capital Management INC purchased a new position in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Nvest Wealth Strategies Inc. purchased a new position in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. 61.80% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on ExxonMobil from $178.00 to $184.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Scotiabank lifted their price target on ExxonMobil from $128.00 to $163.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. HSBC lifted their price target on ExxonMobil from $135.00 to $158.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, March 20th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and set a $155.00 target price on shares of ExxonMobil in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their target price on ExxonMobil from $159.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, ExxonMobil currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $165.55.

More ExxonMobil News

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: ExxonMobil’s Permian operations are highlighted as a major profit driver, with low breakeven costs in the Midland and Delaware basins and rising production that could boost margins if oil prices stay elevated. Article: ExxonMobil’s Permian Advantage: Low Breakeven, Rising Production
• Positive Sentiment: A senior Exxon executive warned that Brent could surge to $150-$160 per barrel in coming weeks as global inventories approach historic lows, reinforcing the bullish case for ExxonMobil’s upstream earnings. Article: Exxon SVP Warns Oil Could Spike to $150-160 Per Barrel in ‘Coming Weeks’
• Positive Sentiment: The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve continues to fall toward its lowest level since the early 1980s, which may support higher oil prices and improve the outlook for ExxonMobil’s production and refining economics. Article: US Strategic Petroleum Reserve on pace to hit lowest level since the early 1980s later this month
• Positive Sentiment: Reports that ExxonMobil is weighing a return to Venezuela suggest potential access to more reserves and long-term production opportunities, which could add upside if negotiations progress. Article: Exxon Mobil Weighs Venezuela Return And Valuation Upside For Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Investor optimism also stems from ExxonMobil’s Texas domicile move and continuing growth plans in the Permian Basin, both of which reinforce a long-term expansion narrative for the company. Article: Exxon Mobil Texas Move And What It Means For XOM Valuation
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader energy-sector commentary continues to place ExxonMobil on watchlists, but these articles are mostly screening/overview pieces rather than new company-specific developments. Article: Oil Stocks To Add to Your Watchlist – May 30th
• Neutral Sentiment: Market chatter around Iran and geopolitical tensions is helping oil prices, which can lift XOM, but the impact is indirect and depends on how long the supply risk persists. Article: Exxon (XOM) roars back as one Iran headline reignites oil

Insider Activity at ExxonMobil

In related news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 1,080 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 owned 17,124 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,662,782. The trade was a 5.93% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

ExxonMobil Trading Up 2.2%

NYSE:XOM opened at $152.92 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.77. ExxonMobil Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $101.73 and a fifty-two week high of $176.41. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $154.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $140.97. The stock has a market cap of $633.83 billion, a PE ratio of 25.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.16.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) last released its earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The oil and gas company reported $1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.18. ExxonMobil had a return on equity of 10.24% and a net margin of 7.57%.The company had revenue of $83.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $81.13 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.76 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that ExxonMobil Corporation will post 11.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ExxonMobil Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. ExxonMobil’s payout ratio is 69.48%.

ExxonMobil Profile

ExxonMobil 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.