NEW YORK, January 23, 2026, 19:17 EST — After-hours
- Exxon shares rose roughly 1%, hitting $134.97 in after-hours trading
- XTO Energy is gauging buyer interest for certain Eagle Ford assets, which are valued at over $1 billion
- Wall Street is focused on Exxon’s Q4 results and earnings call set for Jan. 30
Exxon Mobil (XOM) shares edged up about 1% to $134.97 in after-hours trading Friday following reports that its XTO Energy unit is gauging interest from buyers for certain Eagle Ford shale assets. The package covers roughly 168,000 net acres in South Texas — acreage adjusted for Exxon’s ownership share — and is valued at over $1 billion. Sources say XTO has set up a secure online data room for bidders and is conducting the sale internally, without tapping investment banks. An Exxon spokesperson described the move as part of a strategy to “continually evaluate and optimize” its portfolio, a push coming as U.S. crude prices remain about 18% below last year’s levels and following the company’s $60 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources in 2024. Reuters
Oil prices rallied late in the week, giving stocks a lift. Brent crude climbed $1.82, or 2.8%, closing at $65.88 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate jumped $1.71, or 2.9%, to $61.07. The gains followed President Donald Trump’s renewed pressure on Iran, alongside U.S. sanctions targeting nine vessels and eight firms tied to Iranian oil transport. Both benchmarks finished the week up more than 2.5%.
Exxon plans to release its Q4 results next Friday, with the investor calendar indicating the presentation will go live around 5:30 a.m. CT, followed by a webcast at 8:30 a.m. CT. CEO Darren Woods will join the call, along with CFO Kathy Mikells and incoming CFO Neil Hansen, who officially steps into the role on Feb. 1.
A data room acts as a secure document vault, giving bidders access to production data, contracts, and costs before they finalize their offer on a deal.
Investors often favor asset sales that clarify the narrative: streamlined operations, clearer cash flow, less distraction. Yet, the market typically demands a glimpse at what’s next — questioning if the seller is sacrificing future growth for immediate cash.
Litigation risk remains in the spotlight. On Friday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel launched an antitrust suit accusing Exxon, BP, Chevron, Shell, and the American Petroleum Institute of colluding for decades to suppress competition from electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy. Chevron’s attorney, Theodore Boutrous Jr, dismissed the lawsuit as “baseless,” citing several similar cases that were thrown out. Exxon did not immediately comment. Reuters
U.S. stocks wrapped up a choppy week on Friday with mixed results. The S&P 500 inched higher by roughly 0.1%, but the Dow slipped 0.6%. The Nasdaq climbed 0.3%, while the Russell 2000 dropped 1.8%, according to the Associated Press.
Crude will keep steering the tape next week. A new drop in oil prices could hit integrated producers hard, but any geopolitical sparks might send the sector sharply higher just as fast.
The Eagle Ford process might stall or end up with a price that underwhelms if buyers resist the valuations. The Michigan case serves as a stark reminder that legal and policy battles can erupt unexpectedly—and they seldom wrap up fast.
Exxon’s upcoming trigger point is the earnings report and conference call on Jan. 30. Investors will be tuned in for updates on spending, production volumes, and the company’s strategy for balancing investment against shareholder returns in the year ahead.
