Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) Trading 0.3% Higher - Should You Buy?

Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM) saw its shares rise by 0.3% during trading on a recent Monday. The stock reached a high of $109.90 before closing at $108.96. In total, 3,953,003 shares were exchanged throughout the day, which is a 73% decrease compared to the average trading volume of 14,530,875 shares. Previously, the stock had closed at $108.66.

Analyst Ratings Updates

XOM has been evaluated by several research analysts recently. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target for Exxon Mobil from $142.00 to $140.00 in a note dated October 31. Mizuho reduced their target from $137.00 to $134.00 and issued a "neutral" rating on December 16. On the same day, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target from $130.00 to $125.00 while maintaining an "overweight" rating. BMO Capital Markets increased their target to $130.00 from $127.00, giving the stock a "market perform" rating on October 4. UBS Group dropped their price target from $149.00 to $147.00 and stated a "buy" rating in a December 12 note. Currently, one analyst has a sell rating on the stock, while seven recommend holding, ten suggest buying, and one indicates a strong buy. Overall, Exxon Mobil has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a target price of $128.84 according to MarketBeat.com.

Exxon Mobil's Price Performance

The market capitalization of Exxon Mobil is approximately $481.47 billion, with a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 13.64 and a PE/G ratio of 2.86. The company's beta stands at 0.91. Some key financial ratios include a current ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 1.01, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The stock's fifty-day and two-hundred-day simple moving averages are $111.56 and $115.44 respectively.

On November 1, Exxon Mobil announced its quarterly earnings, reporting an EPS of $1.92, slightly exceeding the analysts' consensus estimate of $1.91. The company reported a return on equity of 14.73% with a net margin of 9.61%. Revenue for the quarter was $90.02 billion against analyst estimates of $93.98 billion. This represents a year-over-year decline of 0.8% in revenue, compared to the same quarter last year when earnings per share were $2.27. Analysts anticipate that Exxon Mobil will achieve earnings per share of 7.77 for the current fiscal year.

Exxon Mobil Increases Dividend

Recently, Exxon Mobil announced a quarterly dividend, which was processed on December 10. Shareholders on record as of November 14 received $0.99 per share, translating to an annualized dividend of $3.96, yielding 3.61%. This increase comes from the prior quarterly dividend of $0.95. The dividend payout ratio currently stands at 49.32%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have adjusted their positions in Exxon Mobil. For instance, Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. increased its holdings by 10.7% in the third quarter, owning 47,195 shares valued at $5,532,000 after purchasing 4,578 additional shares. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV expanded its stake by 4.7% during the same period, now owning 133,140 shares worth $15,607,000. Additionally, Helen Stephens Group LLC grew its ownership in Exxon Mobil by 7.3% in Q4, now holding 41,637 shares valued at $4,479,000. Brooklyn Investment Group heightened its stake by 36.8% in Q3 and currently owns 25,127 shares valued at $2,945,000. Parthenon LLC increased its position by 2.4% during Q3 and now owns 191,590 shares worth $22,458,000. Overall, 61.80% of Exxon Mobil's stock is held by hedge funds and institutional investors.

About Exxon Mobil

Exxon Mobil Corporation is involved in the global exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas. It operates through various segments including Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products. The Upstream segment focuses on exploring and producing oil and gas.

Final Thoughts: Should You Buy Exxon Mobil?

Investing in stocks like Exxon Mobil, which is rated as a "Moderate Buy", requires careful consideration. While its dividend yield is attractive, potential investors should also explore other opportunities available in the market. Research suggests that there are better options than Exxon Mobil based on top-rated analyst recommendations.

Exxon, Stock, Buy