Is Exxon Mobil a Buy Near All Time Highs?

With shares of Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) trading around $97, is XOM an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Exxon Mobil is a manufacturer and marketer of commodity petrochemicals like olefins, aromatics, polyethylene, and polypropylene plastics, as well as a range of specialty products. The company has a number of divisions and affiliates with names that include ExxonMobil, Exxon, Esso, and Mobil, which operate or market products in the United States and other countries. Exxon Mobil's principal business is energy, involving the exploration for and production of crude oil and natural gas; manufacture of petroleum products; and transportation and sale of crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products.

Exxon Mobil is leading the way in calling for the United States to end restrictions on the exporting of oil, the Wall Street Journal reports. The ban on the exportation of oil from the United States dates back to the 1970s, when fears over the looming energy crisis caused the government to institute the measure. With gasoline prices going through the roof, and shortages occurring at gas stations throughout the country, it seemed like a logical step to keep as many fossil fuels as possible within U.S. borders.

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T = Technicals on the Stock Chart Are Strong

Exxon Mobil stock has been surging higher in recent quarters. The stock is currently trading near all time highs and looks ready to continue. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, Exxon Mobil is trading above its rising key averages, which signal neutral to bullish price action in the near-term.

(Source: Thinkorswim)

Taking a look at the implied volatility (red) and implied volatility skew levels of Exxon Mobil options may help determine if investors are bullish, neutral, or bearish.

	Implied Volatility (IV)	30-Day IV Percentile	90-Day IV Percentile
Exxon Mobil options	18.18%	96%	93%

What does this mean? This means that investors or traders are buying a very significant amount of call and put options contracts as compared to the last 30 and 90 trading days.

	Put IV Skew	Call IV Skew
January Options	Flat	Average
February Options	Flat	Average

As of today, there is an average demand from call buyers or sellers and low demand by put buyers or high demand by put sellers, all neutral to bullish over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a very significant amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral to bullish over the next two months.

On the next page, let’s take a look at the earnings and revenue growth rates and the conclusion.

E = Earnings Are Mixed Quarter-Over-Quarter

Rising stock prices are often strongly correlated with rising earnings and revenue growth rates. Also, the last four quarterly earnings announcement reactions help gauge investor sentiment on Exxon Mobil’s stock. What do the last four quarterly earnings and revenue growth (Y-O-Y) figures for Exxon Mobil look like and more importantly, how did the markets like these numbers?

	2013 Q3	2013 Q2	2013 Q1	2012 Q4
Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)	-14.35%	-54.55%	6.00%	11.33%
Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)	-2.41%	-16.41%	-12.29%	-5.29%
Earnings Reaction	0.91%	-1.08%	-1.52%	0.07%

Exxon Mobil has seen mixed earnings and decreasing revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these numbers, the markets have had conflicting feelings about Exxon Mobil’s recent earnings announcements.

P = Average Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has Exxon Mobil stock done relative to its peers, BP (NYSE:BP), Chevron (NYSE:CVX), Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDSA), and sector?

	Exxon Mobil	BP	Chevron	Royal Dutch Shell	Sector
Year-to-Date Return	10.67%	11.52%	11.55%	-1.60%	9.03%

Exxon Mobil has been an average relative performer, year-to-date.

Conclusion

Exxon Mobil is a provider of essential commodity products and services that people and companies use around the world. The company is leading the way in calling for the United States to end restrictions on the exporting of oil. The stock has been surging higher in recent quarters and is currently trading near all time highs. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been mixed while revenues have been decreasing, which has produced conflicting feelings among investors. Relative to its peers and sector, Exxon Mobil has been an average year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what Exxon Mobil does this quarter.