Shares of Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) rallied 1.9% in premarket trading on Friday, following the company’s announcement of fourth-quarter financial results. Despite a drop in revenue, Exxon Mobil managed to surpass expectations with its profit and free cash flow.
Fourth-Quarter Performance
Exxon Mobil reported a net income of $7.63 billion, or $1.91 per share, compared to $12.75 billion, or $3.09 per share, in the same period last year. The decline in income was primarily due to nonrecurring items, including a $2 billion impairment resulting from regulatory obstacles in California.
Excluding these nonrecurring items, adjusted earnings per share for the quarter came in at $2.48, which exceeded the FactSet consensus of $2.20.
Total revenue for the quarter dropped 11.6% to $84.34 billion, falling well below the FactSet consensus of $90.03 billion. The decrease was primarily attributed to stagnant upstream production and a 1.2% decline in energy products sales.
Despite the decrease in revenue, free cash flow for the quarter reached $7.97 billion, surpassing the FactSet consensus of $7.77 billion.
Market Performance
Over the past three months leading up to Thursday, Exxon Mobil’s stock has declined by 6.2%. In comparison, the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) has experienced a 4.8% decline, while the S&P 500 (SPX) has rallied by 13.6%.
Overall, Exxon Mobil’s ability to beat expectations in terms of profit and free cash flow showcases its resilience amidst challenging market conditions.