ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) Sets New 52-Week High – Still a Buy?

ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday. The stock traded as high as $176.62 and last traded at $176.8820, with a volume of 4,684,832 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $174.08.

ExxonMobil News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting ExxonMobil this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Rating upgraded to Buy: Zacks raised ExxonMobil to Rank #2 (Buy), citing improving earnings prospects. The upgrade provides a near-term sentiment boost. Zacks ExxonMobil rating upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Higher profit forecasts: Erste Group Bank raised its ExxonMobil FY2026 EPS estimate to $12.56 from $11.60 and its FY2027 estimate to $11.12 from $10.91. The FY2026 forecast is also above the broader $12.40 consensus, signaling stronger expected earnings. MarketBeat ExxonMobil analyst estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Oil-price leverage: Crude prices above $90 per barrel could support ExxonMobil’s cash flow, particularly through its low-cost Permian and Guyana production. Its integrated model and diversified operations also support dividend resilience when oil prices weaken. Elevated crude prices and ExxonMobil cash flows
• Positive Sentiment: Chemicals rebound: Chemical earnings climbed sharply from $110 million in the first quarter to $1.13 billion in the second quarter, helped by North American feedstock advantages. This demonstrates the benefit of ExxonMobil’s integrated business model, despite lower sales volumes. ExxonMobil chemical recovery
• Neutral Sentiment: Strategic and competitive focus: ExxonMobil’s 8.9% net margin exceeds Chevron’s 6.7%, although Chevron’s Guyana expansion could intensify competition. Management’s shifting emphasis away from the Pioneer acquisition also raises questions about future growth priorities. Chevron versus ExxonMobil
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks: ExxonMobil trades at roughly market-level earnings multiples after a strong multi-year rally, while some forecasts point to shrinking earnings. Questions also surround Kashagan exposure and whether Guyana LNG plans may be scaled back as Exxon needs more gas for its wells. Guyana LNG plans and ExxonMobil

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

XOM has been the topic of a number of research reports. Barclays lowered their price objective on ExxonMobil from $182.00 to $177.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on ExxonMobil from $168.00 to $177.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Bank of America lowered ExxonMobil from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $154.00 to $158.00 in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Mizuho lowered their target price on ExxonMobil from $175.00 to $170.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of ExxonMobil from $168.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, ExxonMobil has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $164.78.

ExxonMobil Trading Up 1.7%

The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The company has a market cap of $734.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.78, a PEG ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 0.21. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $162.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is $154.31.

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 31st. The oil and gas company reported $3.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.56 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $114.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $109.94 billion. ExxonMobil had a net margin of 8.88% and a return on equity of 13.14%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.64 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that ExxonMobil Corporation will post 12.40 EPS for the current year.

ExxonMobil Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 17th were given a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 17th. ExxonMobil’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 53.02%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ExxonMobil

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. GQG Partners LLC boosted its holdings in ExxonMobil by 153.3% in the 2nd quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 16,877,523 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $2,307,497,000 after purchasing an additional 10,214,420 shares during the last quarter. Quantum Portfolio Management LLC acquired a new position in ExxonMobil during the 1st quarter worth approximately $965,932,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership bought a new stake in shares of ExxonMobil during the 1st quarter worth $766,345,000. Diamant Asset Management Inc. grew its position in ExxonMobil by 17,312.4% in the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,183,864 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $370,514,000 after purchasing an additional 2,171,322 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Employees Provident Fund Board acquired a new stake in ExxonMobil in the 4th quarter valued at $238,970,000. 61.80% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

ExxonMobil Company Profile

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.