ExxonMobil (XOM) opened at $150.72 on Thursday, up 1.2%, as a wave of institutional buying activity in Q4 drew fresh attention to the stock.
Wellspring Financial Advisors LLC led the headline moves, growing its XOM position by 92% in the fourth quarter. The firm added 13,125 shares, bringing its total to 27,389 shares valued at approximately $3.3 million.
Several other firms also entered new positions. Berbice Capital Management, Midwest Capital Advisors, Key Capital Management, and Nvest Wealth Strategies all picked up stakes in XOM during the quarter, each valued in the range of $26,000 to $32,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong grew its position by 456%, though from a small base.
Institutional investors now own 61.8% of ExxonMobil’s outstanding stock.
The buying activity comes off the back of a strong Q1 earnings report. ExxonMobil posted EPS of $1.16 for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.18. Revenue came in at $83.16 billion, topping analyst forecasts of $81.13 billion.
Revenue was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. That’s a step down from the $1.76 EPS reported in Q1 2025, but the beat on both top and bottom lines gave the market something to work with.
Return on equity stood at 10.24% and net margin at 7.57% for the quarter. Analysts now expect full-year EPS of $11.66.
ExxonMobil paid a quarterly dividend of $1.03 per share on June 10th to shareholders of record as of May 15th. That works out to an annualized dividend of $4.12, representing a 2.7% yield at current prices. The payout ratio sits at 69.48%.
The company’s balance sheet remains conservative. Debt-to-equity is 0.13, current ratio is 1.04, and the 200-day moving average sits at $142.12. The stock’s 52-week range runs from $105.53 to $176.41.
Jefferies raised its price target on XOM from $178 to $184 in April and maintained a Buy rating. Citigroup lifted its target from $150 to $175, though with a Neutral rating. TD Cowen trimmed its target slightly from $175 to $172 but kept a Buy. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a Sector Perform rating with a $180 target.
Overall, 10 analysts rate XOM a Buy and 11 have it at Hold. The consensus price target is $165.55.
On the operational front, ExxonMobil secured the Coral Norte LNG contract in Mozambique, adding to its LNG portfolio. The company also reported $4.67 billion in profit from its Guyana operations in 2025.
The broader energy sector has been firm. The Energy Select Sector ETF (XLE) is up 29% year-to-date.
VP Darrin L. Talley sold 1,080 shares in March at $155.50 per share, totaling $167,940. He retained 17,124 shares following the transaction.
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