Exxon Mobil (XOM) Stock Climbs on Q1 Earnings Beat Amid Middle East Challenges

Key Highlights

• First-quarter adjusted earnings per share reached $1.16, surpassing Wall Street’s $0.98 projection
• Quarterly revenue jumped 2.4% annually to $85.1 billion, exceeding the $81.1 billion consensus
• Regional conflict in the Middle East reduced quarterly output by 6% and resulted in $700M in undelivered cargo writedowns
• Reported net profit fell to $4.2B from $7.7B year-over-year — marking the weakest performance since early 2021
• CEO Darren Woods emphasized the company’s resilience, calling it “fundamentally stronger” than in previous years

Shares of Exxon Mobil (XOM) advanced 0.6% to $155.23 during Friday’s premarket session following the energy giant’s first-quarter earnings release that exceeded analyst projections.

Exxon Mobil Corporation, XOM

The energy company’s shares had previously touched record levels near $176 earlier in the year before retreating toward $154. Friday’s quarterly report provided a boost to investor sentiment.

On an adjusted basis, the company delivered $1.16 in earnings per share, comfortably beating the Street’s $0.98 forecast. Top-line revenue increased 2.4% year-over-year to reach $85.1 billion, outpacing the anticipated $81.1 billion.

However, beneath the adjusted metrics, the financial performance tells a more complex story.

Reported net profit declined to $4.2 billion, representing a significant decrease from the $7.7 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2025. This marks the company’s weakest bottom-line performance since early 2021.

The decline stems primarily from ongoing tensions in the Middle East, which have affected Exxon more severely than many competitors. Approximately one-fifth of the company’s hydrocarbon production originates from this volatile region — among the highest concentrations of any major oil producers. By contrast, Chevron recently disclosed that under 5% of its output comes from Middle Eastern operations.

Regional Conflict Disrupts Operations

Attacks by Iranian forces damaged two liquefied natural gas installations in Qatar where Exxon maintains ownership interests. These incidents contributed to a 6% sequential decline in production volumes during the first quarter.

The energy giant also absorbed a $700 million charge related to shipments that couldn’t reach their destinations due to the ongoing hostilities. This substantial loss was stripped out of the adjusted earnings calculation.

Additionally, Exxon reported significant losses connected to financial hedging instruments — an accounting treatment that requires the company to recognize paper losses on derivative contracts before the corresponding physical transactions settle. CFO Neil Hansen noted these timing differences generally reverse within several months, although predicting future fluctuations remains challenging.

When stripping out all timing-related adjustments and cargo delivery issues, Hansen indicated the underlying profit actually expanded compared to the previous year.

Permian Operations and Guyana Drive Growth

Despite headwinds from Middle Eastern operations, Exxon’s flagship production assets delivered solid performance.

Output from the Permian Basin maintained its upward trajectory, while operations in Guyana achieved record production levels during the three-month period. These two regions represent the company’s most valuable upstream holdings.

Operating cash flow after capital investment totaled $2.7 billion for the quarter, compared to $8.8 billion in the year-ago period. The company distributed $4.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and repurchased $4.9 billion worth of shares.

Capital spending reached $6.2 billion, consistent with full-year investment plans.

Industry observers will likely seek clarity on restoration timelines for the damaged Middle Eastern facilities during Friday’s scheduled conference call with analysts.

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