Exxon CEO Darren Woods Reportedly Hints At More Strategic M&A Moves After Q2 Beat: Retail Says Stock 'Too Big To Fail'

Exxon Mobil Corp.(XOM) is reportedly exploring new takeover opportunities after acquiring Pioneer Natural Resources Co. (PXD) for $60 billion last year. 

According to a Bloomberg report, CEO Darren Woods said future deals will focus on creating more value together, rather than simply getting bigger.

While Woods didn't disclose any specific acquisition targets or asset types under consideration, he made it clear that Exxon prioritizes strategic fit and financial benefit over simply adding barrels.

Exxon Mobil stock inched 0.6% lower on Friday after the morning bell.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment toward the stock jumped to 'bullish' (57/100) from 'bearish' territory the previous day. Message volume shifted to 'normal' (51/100) from 'low' levels in 24 hours. 

 The stock saw a 46% increase in user message count in 24 hours. A bullish Stocktwits user said they are going long on the stock.

Another user said the stock was 'too big to fail'.

During a call with Bloomberg, Woods also pushed back on the idea that Exxon's deals would result in mass layoffs. 

This year's drop in oil prices has put financial pressure on energy companies, pushing them to uphold investor payouts through stock repurchases and dividends. The challenging market conditions have also fueled rumors of possible acquisition deals.

Exxon Mobil's second-quarter (Q2) revenue of $81.506 billion and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.64, both surpassed the analysts' consensus estimate of $80.3 billion and $1.55, respectively, as per Fiscal AI data.

In the first half of 2025, the company generated an operating cash flow of $24.5 billion and a free cash flow of $14.2 billion.

Exxon held $14.35 billion in cash and equivalents as of June 30. The company returned $9.2 billion to shareholders, with $4.3 billion paid out in dividends and another $5 billion spent on share buybacks in Q2.

Exxon Mobil stock has gained over 2% year-to-date and has shed over 5% in the last 12 months.

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