Financial Goals

ExxonMobil does not explicitly state its financial goals. This is proprietary information that is not published. However, ExxonMobil does suggest that it intends to keep up with global demand. ExxonMobil is focused on long-term growth, rather than short-term gains. One could expect the financial goals of the company to include a plan for long-term steady growth that keeps pace with global demand.

Financial Analysis

Exxon Mobil is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the stock ticker XOM. XOM ended the day on January 28, 2008 with a closing price of 85.08. It is expected that this price will climb to 101.00 within one year (Yahoo Finance, 2008). It is a high volume stock, in terms of the number of trades. It has a healthy 6.92 Earnings Per Share and a Market Cap of 464.85Billion (Yahoo Finance, 2008). XOM pays a dividend of $1.40 that has experienced a growth rate of 1.70%. (Yahoo Finance, 2008). XOM has a P/E of 12.30. These financials, combined with a positive growth prospect for the long-term future would make XOM appear to be a winner for portfolio growth.

When one compares financial ratios to the Industry, sector and S & P. 500, one can get better picture of how ExxonMobil compares. When one compares the P/E ratio, XOM performs slightly better than the industry average. However, over the past five years, the P/E ration has demonstrated a range from 10.40 to 23.36 (Reuters, 2008). The industry and sector out performed XOM, but this is largely due to the long-term nature of some of ExxonMobil's projects.

XOM has a beta of 0.87, compared to 0.75 for the industry. This beta reflects a comparison with the S & P. 500, rather than the DOW (Reuters, 2008). This is a relatively steady stock that closely follows the S & P. 500, but it could not be considered a tracking stock. Price to sales hovers at 1.23. This is higher that the industry, but lower than the S&P 500.

Gross sales were down -2.33 compared to the previous 12 months. However, the industry was down by -3.72. This is largely a result of rising oil prices resulting in curbed consumer spending. It is a reflection of a downturn in the general economy. This trend may continue for some time, but will once again recover at some time in the future. This short-range downturn does not reflect long-term performance. XOM has demonstrated a 12.16% growth rate over the past five years (Reuters, 2008).

XOM has demonstrated a 5-year Earnings per Share growth rate of 25.08 (Reuters, 2008). This is slightly lower than industry standards. However, this reflects the effects of capital expenditures on exploration efforts. Five-year capital spending on new projects and exploration has also increased a healthy 9.13%. Although this expenditure represents a short-term liability and decreased...

The oil and gas industry are characterized by high capital expenditures related to expansion. This is an ongoing process in this industry.
The real question is not how much they are spending on expansion efforts, but rather if they are seeing a return on their investment. XOM has a long standing reputation for maintaining long-term value by realizing a healthy Return on Assets, Return on Investments, and Return on Equity. Over the past five years, Yom's average Return on Assets was 14.58. Its average Return on Investment was 19.14 and its Return on Equity was a healthy 28.23 (Reuters, 2008). These numbers demonstrate that XOM realizes a healthy return on its expenditures. It meets its goal of preserving shareholder equity and continuing to offer value to its investors.

Inventory turnover and asset turnover have longer cycles than the average S & P. 500 stock. This is due to the processes involved in the production of crude. One of the most attractive aspects of XOM is that although capital expenditures are high, it retains a low Long-Term Debt to Equity ration of 0.06. It has a current ration of 1.52, compared to 1.36 for the industry (Reuters, 2008).

As far as investment opportunities are concerned, ExxonMobil has many challenges ahead of it, as the industry prepares to meet global energy needs. However, ExxonMobil is a leader and has an established economy of scale, compared to many other producers. It has healthy financials. The recent downturn that it has experienced is not expected to effect long-term prospects. One of the most attractive aspects of XOM is that it provides investors with a source of income through dividends.

ExxonMobil will not be a stock that will provide quick returns. It is more suitable to the long-term investor that wishes for a small amount of income, against sustained growth. ExxonMobil is faced with the same challenges and opportunities as others in the industry. ExxonMobil has the right set of credentials that would lead one to consider it to be a perfect long-term prospect for the growth portfolio.