Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Please comment on ExxonMobil. Thanks.

Article Excerpt

Exxon Mobil, $80.34, symbol XOM on New York (Shares outstanding: 4.9 billion; Market cap: $389.3 billion; www.exxonmobil.com), was formed in 1999, following the merger of Exxon and Mobil. It is the world’s largest publicly traded oil company. Exxon Mobil owns 70% of Imperial Oil, symbol IMO on Toronto. In the three months ended March 31, 2011, Exxon Mobil’s earnings jumped to $2.14 a share from $1.33 a year earlier. That beat the consensus estimate of $1.75. The improved performance came from higher oil and natural gas prices, increased refining margins, and record performance from the chemicals division. The company continues to buy back large amounts of its stock. In the latest quarter, it bought back 69 million shares for $5.7 billion. Exxon’s improving earnings prompted it to raise its quarterly dividend by 7%, to $0.47 a share. The shares now yield 2.3%. We recommend a number of Canadian oil and gas stocks in The Successful Investor and Stock Pickers Digest. We see…