XOM Stock: Barclays Raises Price Target to $163 as Exxon Trades Near 52-Week High
By TrendSpider Editor
Barclays analyst Betty Jiang confirmed a "buy" rating on Exxon Mobil Corporation while raising her price target from $145 to $163, a meaningful step up that now sits just above where shares are currently trading. XOM is priced at $159.015 as of Tuesday, March 17, 2026, reflecting a gain of 1.14% in
XOM Stock: Barclays Raises Price Target to $163 as Exxon Trades Near 52-Week High
Barclays analyst Betty Jiang confirmed a "buy" rating on Exxon Mobil Corporation while raising her price target from $145 to $163, a meaningful step up that now sits just above where shares are currently trading. XOM is priced at $159.015 as of Tuesday, March 17, 2026, reflecting a gain of 1.14% in today's session. That puts the stock near the top of its 52-week range of $97.80 to $159.35, signaling that the market and at least one major Wall Street firm are aligned on continued upside.
Key Drivers of the XOM Stock Move
- Main Catalyst: Barclays, through analyst Betty Jiang, confirmed a "buy" rating on XOM and raised the price target to $163 from a prior target of $145, representing an $18 increase in the firm's valuation outlook for the stock.
- Bull Case: The revised price target of $163 implies additional upside from the current price of $159.015, and the confirmation of the "buy" rating adds conviction behind the call. The stock has also already surged from near its 52-week low of $97.80, demonstrating sustained buying pressure over the past year.
- Bear Case: XOM is trading at $159.015, extremely close to its 52-week high of $159.35, which could invite near-term profit-taking as momentum investors weigh risk at extended levels. With the price target at $163 and shares already at $159.015, the remaining upside implied by the Barclays target is relatively narrow.
The Barclays price target revision comes as XOM approaches technical resistance at its 52-week high of $159.35. A decisive breakout above that level on strong volume could attract additional momentum-driven buying, particularly if energy markets remain supportive. Today's 1.14% gain suggests the market responded positively to the analyst action. Investors will be watching whether XOM can consolidate above the $159 level and push toward the $163 consensus target, or whether the proximity to the 52-week high creates a short-term ceiling that caps near-term gains.
XOM Analyst Ratings and Price Targets
Barclays analyst Betty Jiang confirmed a "buy" rating on Exxon Mobil and raised the price target to $163 from a prior target of $145. There were no upgrades or downgrades issued as part of this action, making it a pure confirmation with a revised target. The consensus average price target currently stands at $163, directly in line with the Barclays call, suggesting broad alignment across the analyst community on where fair value sits for XOM at this stage.
XOM Seasonality
Mid-March has historically been a transitional period for energy stocks, as winter demand patterns fade and the market begins pricing in spring and summer driving season dynamics. For integrated oil majors like Exxon, this window can bring increased focus on refining margins and fuel demand outlooks heading into the second quarter.
XOM Relative Performance
XOM's 1.14% gain on Tuesday outpaces what would be considered a quiet session for the broader energy sector, and the stock's position near its 52-week high of $159.35 suggests it has been a clear outperformer over the trailing year relative to its $97.80 low. The proximity to the 52-week high indicates XOM has maintained relative strength even as broader market conditions have been uneven, reinforcing the bull case made by Barclays in today's analyst action.