Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) Trading Down 3.3% After Analyst Downgrade

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)’s stock price dropped 3.3% during trading on Tuesday after Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price target on the stock from $142.00 to $137.00. Sanford C. Bernstein currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Exxon Mobil traded as low as $121.00 and last traded at $121.1990. Approximately 23,270,482 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 3% from the average daily volume of 22,512,580 shares. The stock had previously closed at $125.36.

XOM has been the subject of several other research reports. Piper Sandler upped their target price on shares of Exxon Mobil from $141.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 10th. BNP Paribas upgraded Exxon Mobil from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. BNP Paribas Exane upgraded Exxon Mobil from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $114.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, December 8th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Exxon Mobil from $135.00 to $137.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $128.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Exxon Mobil presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $129.81.

Insider Activity

In related news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.19, for a total transaction of $351,570.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 28,584 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,349,758.96. This represents a 9.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Exxon Mobil

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

• Positive Sentiment: Renewed Venezuela narrative and sector rotation are supporting energy names, with Exxon positioned as a sector leader and a top holding in XLE — this underpins upside case if momentum and technical breakouts continue. 3 Energy Plays to Watch as the Sector Reacts to New Developments
• Positive Sentiment: Bernstein has kept a buy/outperform stance on XOM (supportive analyst conviction can limit downside and attract buyers). Bernstein Keeps Their Buy Rating on Exxon Mobil (XOM)
• Positive Sentiment: Large-cap dividend appeal remains intact: JPMorgan and other shops continue to list dividend giants including Exxon among top energy picks for passive income, supporting the stock’s income-investor base. Passive Income Dividend Giants Dominate JP Morgan’s 2026 Energy Top Picks
• Neutral Sentiment: Bernstein trimmed its price target from $142 to $137 while maintaining an outperform rating — a modest calibration that keeps upside visible but signals more measured expectations. XOM price target lowered by Bernstein
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage highlights a shifting narrative toward cash returns and sector caution — this frames investor debate between buybacks/dividends and longer-term growth exposure. Why Analysts See The Exxon Mobil (XOM) Story Shifting On Cash Returns And Sector Caution
• Negative Sentiment: Freedom Capital downgraded XOM to sell from hold — fresh sell-side downgrades increase selling pressure and can amplify short-term downside. Exxon Mobil downgraded to sell from hold at Freedom Capital
• Negative Sentiment: Negative retail/columnist calls are intensifying (e.g., “Sell Exxon Stock Immediately”), which can pressure sentiment-driven flows and amplify intraday weakness. Sell Exxon Stock Immediately
• Negative Sentiment: A newly announced class action (2016-period claim) adds legal overhang and headline risk that may concern longer-term investors and institutional holders. Portnoy Law Firm Announces Class Action on Behalf of Exxon Mobil Corporation Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that the U.S. administration did not consult majors before Venezuelan operations create political/operational uncertainty about which firms will benefit — that uncertainty favors caution. Trump administration has not consulted US oil majors about Venezuela

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Exxon Mobil

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. WealthCare Investment Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil by 84.8% during the fourth quarter. WealthCare Investment Partners LLC now owns 5,057 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $620,000 after buying an additional 2,321 shares in the last quarter. RDA Financial Network boosted its position in Exxon Mobil by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. RDA Financial Network now owns 5,978 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $719,000 after acquiring an additional 191 shares during the last quarter. Collective Family Office LLC grew its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 3.6% during the 4th quarter. Collective Family Office LLC now owns 2,851 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $343,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Ransom Advisory Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil by 10.3% in the fourth quarter. Ransom Advisory Ltd now owns 16,062 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,933,000 after purchasing an additional 1,499 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fulcrum Equity Management lifted its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 11.1% in the fourth quarter. Fulcrum Equity Management now owns 4,242 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $510,000 after purchasing an additional 424 shares in the last quarter. 61.80% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Exxon Mobil Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of $511.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.62, a PEG ratio of 7.72 and a beta of 0.37. The company’s fifty day moving average is $117.64 and its 200 day moving average is $113.69. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, June 17th. The oil and gas company reported $0.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 8.99% and a return on equity of 11.22%. The firm had revenue of $57.55 billion for the quarter. On average, equities research analysts predict that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 EPS for the current year.

Exxon Mobil Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Investors of record on Friday, November 14th were issued a dividend of $1.03 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 14th. This is a boost from Exxon Mobil’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.99. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.4%. Exxon Mobil’s dividend payout ratio is currently 59.88%.

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.