Morgan Stanley Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) Stock

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) had its price target hoisted by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley from $134.00 to $172.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the oil and gas company’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective points to a potential upside of 0.49% from the stock’s previous close.

XOM has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Citigroup raised their price target on Exxon Mobil from $118.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. BNP Paribas Exane lowered shares of Exxon Mobil from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating and set a $125.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of Exxon Mobil from $158.00 to $156.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Bank of America lifted their target price on shares of Exxon Mobil from $135.00 to $151.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $151.00.

Exxon Mobil Trading Up 3.5%

XOM opened at $171.17 on Friday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $149.30 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $128.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $713.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.59, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.79. Exxon Mobil has a one year low of $97.80 and a one year high of $171.23.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $1.71 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.63 by $0.08. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 11.21% and a net margin of 8.68%.The firm had revenue of $80.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $77.98 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.67 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Exxon Mobil will post 7.43 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Exxon Mobil

In other Exxon Mobil news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.75, for a total value of $698,750.00. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 23,584 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,295,864. The trade was a 17.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders sold a total of 11,460 shares of company stock worth $1,687,854 in the last three months. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Exxon Mobil

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. McAlvany Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil in the 4th quarter worth about $1,126,000. J. Derek Lewis & Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter valued at about $462,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. bought a new stake in Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,727,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC bought a new stake in Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter valued at about $3,371,000. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 2.3% in the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 1,923,940 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $231,527,000 after buying an additional 43,460 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 61.80% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Exxon Mobil

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

• Positive Sentiment: Rising crude and geopolitical risk lift near‑term outlook — higher oil prices from Middle East tensions are cited as a catalyst for stronger cash flow and earnings potential for Exxon. What Lies Ahead for ExxonMobil Amid Surging Crude Prices?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and target hikes: Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $172 and kept an Overweight rating, supporting higher sentiment and buying. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Bernstein raised its price recommendation to $195 (from $159) and reiterated Outperform, adding upside to estimates and investor interest. Bernstein Raises Exxon Target
• Positive Sentiment: Broker upgrades to earnings forecasts: Erste Group lifted FY2026 and FY2027 EPS estimates, implying stronger forward earnings than consensus. MarketBeat: Erste Group note
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual options flow — traders bought ~163,879 XOM call contracts (about a 30% increase vs. typical call volume), indicating speculative or hedged bullish bets that likely boosted intraday demand.
• Positive Sentiment: Operational execution: Exxon participated in the industry’s first fully automated offshore well placement in Guyana, showcasing tech-led efficiency gains that can lower costs and speed production growth. Halliburton & Guyana automation
• Neutral Sentiment: Strategic portfolio moves: Exxon is weighing an exit from New Zealand to refocus on higher‑return advantaged assets — a potential long‑term efficiency play but not an immediate earnings driver. Exxon New Zealand exit
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and downside risk commentary: Several pieces note XOM’s valuation has risen sharply (one piece highlights XOM exceeding Nvidia by some measures) and question whether elevated oil prices could later expose valuation downside if prices normalize. Exxon vs. Nvidia valuation discussion
• Negative Sentiment: “Tailwind or trap?” analysts warn that while oil >$95 helps earnings now, higher valuations and sustained high prices raise the risk of sharper downside if geopolitical tensions ease. Oil Over $95: Tailwind or Trap?

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.