Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) wrapped up a holiday-shortened Christmas Eve session modestly lower, then ticked up in extended trading as investors balanced a firmer crude-oil backdrop against geopolitical headlines tied to Russia and ongoing supply-risk chatter.
Because U.S. stock markets are closed on Thursday, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day), there is no regular “open tomorrow.” The next full U.S. session is Friday, Dec. 26, and it’s likely to feature light liquidity—a setup that can magnify price moves in either direction. [1]
Exxon Mobil stock price: where XOM finished and where it traded after hours
In Wednesday’s shortened regular session, XOM closed at $119.22, down $0.20 (-0.17%), with the official close timestamp reflecting the early shutdown. In extended trading, shares nudged up to $119.39 (+0.14%) as of mid-afternoon Eastern. [2]
It’s worth emphasizing the context: trading volume across the market was exceptionally light on Christmas Eve. The Associated Press reported roughly 1.8 billion shares traded on the NYSE, about a third of an average day, and warned volumes could remain muted into the end of the week. Thin conditions matter for mega-cap energy names like Exxon because headline-driven moves can look bigger than they “feel” on normal liquidity. [3]
The big macro driver for Exxon: oil’s holiday bounce meets a weak annual trend
Energy investors spent much of Dec. 24 watching crude more than stocks.
Reuters reported that oil settled slightly lower on Wednesday after a multi-session rebound, with Brent ending at $62.24 and WTI at $58.29. Both benchmarks are still up about 6% since Dec. 16, when they slid to near five-year lows—but they remain on track for steep full-year declines as markets look ahead to potential oversupply in 2026. [4]
For Exxon Mobil stock, that mix creates a familiar push-pull:
- Short-term tailwind: a bounce off the lows can support sentiment in integrated majors, especially when supply risks dominate headlines.
- Medium-term question: if the market increasingly prices in “supply outpacing demand next year,” it can weigh on upstream-heavy earnings power—even if integrated refining/chemicals partially offset. [5]
Today’s Exxon-specific headline: Russia extends the Sakhalin-1 deadline again
The most direct Exxon headline crossing the tape on Dec. 24 came from Reuters: Russian President Vladimir Putin extended by one year the deadline for the sale of Exxon’s stake in the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project until Jan. 1, 2027, according to a decree. [6]
Reuters highlighted why investors continue to care about this story years after Exxon exited Russia:
- The decree may help Exxon recover losses tied to its departure after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [7]
- Exxon took a $4.6 billion impairment charge on its 30% operator stake in April 2022. [8]
- Reuters also reported that Exxon and Russia’s Rosneft signed a non-binding initial agreement (reported earlier) aimed at helping Exxon recoup losses, though progress is widely viewed as constrained by the sanctions environment and the trajectory of the Ukraine conflict. [9]
Market impact today: In practice, this type of headline often functions as optionality—it doesn’t instantly re-rate Exxon’s core cash flows, but it can change how investors think about long-dated recovery value and legal/financial outcomes tied to legacy Russia exposure.
Supply-risk headlines that matter to XOM even when they aren’t “about Exxon”
Oil traders also digested another Reuters report with Exxon in the background: Kazakhstan’s CPC Blend exports are expected to fall to about 1.14 million barrels per day in December versus an initially planned 1.7 million bpd, after Ukrainian drone strikes damaged infrastructure near Russia’s Black Sea export hub and weather delayed repairs. [10]
Why it matters for Exxon Mobil stock: Reuters noted the CPC terminal is the loading point for oil from Kazakhstan’s fields operated by majors including Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Eni, and Shell. When export routes tighten, physical crude differentials and Brent structure can firm, influencing the upstream revenue environment that ultimately feeds into how the market values companies like Exxon. [11]
Add to that the broader supply-risk narrative Reuters described—Venezuela-related disruption headlines and ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure tied to Russia/Ukraine—and it’s easy to see why crude has been “sticky” off the lows even as investors debate 2026 oversupply. [12]
What analysts are saying today: targets, ratings, and the “resilience” case
Two strands of “forecast” content stood out in today’s coverage: (1) Wall Street-style price-target aggregation and (2) fundamental resilience commentary focused on Exxon’s low-cost assets and integrated model.
Consensus targets and ratings
MarketBeat summarized that analysts covering Exxon currently assign a consensus “Moderate Buy” (based on 24 analysts in its tally) with an average 12‑month target price of $129.45. MarketBeat also cited recent target changes, including TD Cowen raising its target to $135, among other updates. [13]
MarketBeat also pointed to Exxon’s shareholder-return profile, noting the quarterly dividend has been raised to $1.03 (annualized $4.12) and framing the yield around the mid‑3% range based on price levels. [14]
The “soft commodity pricing” resilience thesis
A Nasdaq.com article (syndicated from Zacks Investment Research) argued that Exxon’s business is positioned to remain durable even with WTI below $60, citing:
- Rising production from “advantaged assets” including the Permian and Guyana, described as having low breakeven costs that support profitability in weaker pricing. [15]
- Exxon’s integrated business model as a buffer against earnings volatility. [16]
- Ongoing focus on structural cost savings and a strong balance sheet. [17]
The same piece noted Exxon’s trailing 12‑month EV/EBITDA of 7.75x, above an industry average cited at 4.83x, and said the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings was unchanged over the past seven days (in that dataset). [18]
The calendar reality check: “tomorrow’s open” doesn’t exist—here’s what actually happens next
If you’re planning around the next session, the most important detail is the schedule:
- Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025: Early close at 1:00 p.m. ET (holiday schedule). [19]
- Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025:Markets closed for Christmas Day. [20]
- Friday, Dec. 26, 2025:Regular full day of trading resumes. [21]
Adding a wrinkle this year: Reuters reported that major U.S. exchanges kept their trading calendar intact even after President Donald Trump ordered the federal government closed on Dec. 24 and Dec. 26, meaning markets still ran the early close and are expected to trade normally Friday. [22]
What to watch before the next session for XOM
Here are the practical “overnight” (and holiday) checkpoints that could move Exxon Mobil stock when the market reopens:
1) Crude direction and headline sensitivity
Oil is coming off a bounce, but Reuters also underscored that crude is on pace for its steepest annual decline since 2020 and that expectations for 2026 supply/demand balance remain a central debate. [23]
For XOM, that often translates into bigger sensitivity to oil futures at the open than to company-specific news—unless a major corporate headline breaks.
2) Inventory data timing (and the “missing data” problem)
Holiday weeks can reshape the information flow. Reuters reported the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s official inventory data would come later than usual due to Christmas. [24]
EIA’s own weekly petroleum page posts a schedule change stating the Weekly Petroleum Status Report will be released Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, due to federal government closure. [25]
Why this matters: if traders don’t get the usual cadence of official inventory figures, price action can lean harder on private estimates, headlines, and positioning—which can amplify volatility in energy equities.
3) Russia/Ukraine energy infrastructure and “event risk”
Two of today’s most Exxon-relevant stories were tied directly or indirectly to the Russia/Ukraine theater:
- The Sakhalin-1 stake deadline extension (Exxon-specific optionality). [26]
- The CPC export disruption affecting Kazakh flows used by majors including Exxon. [27]
If additional decrees, sanctions, shipping constraints, or infrastructure updates hit during the holiday lull, XOM can gap on Friday even if the move has little to do with near-term U.S. demand.
4) Expectations for “holiday-thin” price action
AP’s reporting on light turnover is not just color—it’s a risk factor. When volume is low, a stock like Exxon can drift on relatively small order flow, and the broader market can pull sector ETFs around more easily. [28]
For traders, that often means wider spreads and less reliable “signal” from small after-hours moves.
5) Street targets and positioning into year-end
Today’s consensus-price-target roundup keeps Exxon’s “base case” framing in view: moderate upside to the ~$129 area by some aggregated analyst estimates, paired with a strong income profile via dividends. [29]
How the stock behaves into year-end can be influenced by position squaring, tax planning, and portfolio window dressing—especially when the S&P 500 is sitting at record levels on very light volume. [30]
Bottom line: what Dec. 24’s tape suggests for Exxon heading into Friday
Exxon Mobil stock finished the shortened session modestly lower and then stabilized to slightly higher after the bell, consistent with a market that is:
- treating Exxon as a high-quality energy “core holding” during year-end positioning,
- watching oil prices and supply-risk headlines closely, and
- keeping one eye on long-running geopolitical items like Sakhalin-1 that can re-enter the narrative without immediately changing quarterly fundamentals. [31]
With no U.S. market open on Christmas Day, the next real test is Friday, Dec. 26, when investors will reprice crude, geopolitical risk, and year-end flows all at once—likely in a thin tape. [32]
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.
References
1. www.nasdaq.com, 2. finance.yahoo.com, 3. apnews.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. www.reuters.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. www.reuters.com, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.reuters.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.marketbeat.com, 14. www.marketbeat.com, 15. www.nasdaq.com, 16. www.nasdaq.com, 17. www.nasdaq.com, 18. www.nasdaq.com, 19. www.nasdaq.com, 20. www.nasdaq.com, 21. apnews.com, 22. www.reuters.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. www.reuters.com, 25. www.eia.gov, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. www.reuters.com, 28. apnews.com, 29. www.marketbeat.com, 30. apnews.com, 31. finance.yahoo.com, 32. www.nasdaq.com
