There’s good news for Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) investors as the energy company just revealed its second-quarter 2022 financial results. Long-side traders have a number of positive data points to bolster their bullish argument for XOM stock. Additionally, the proposed Inflation Reduction Act could potentially provide a big win for Exxon Mobil.

In a time when flows of fossil fuels from Russia and the Middle East are uncertain, oil-producing nations are calling upon domestic drillers to ramp up production. Among those drillers is Exxon Mobil, and a fresh update from the company indicates that the company did, indeed, step up to the plate with a production increase.

Did this lead to a Street beat with Exxon Mobil’s earnings report? Stay tuned as the numbers are in and they look largely positive. On top of that, a bill working its way through Congress could help Exxon Mobil advance its ambitious carbon-capture goals.

What’s Happening With XOM Stock?

With a forward annual dividend yield of 3.84%, Exxon Mobil is a dividend king among energy firms. Without share price appreciation, however, investors would surely be frustrated.

Fortunately, XOM stock is up for the year even while some other mega-cap stocks are down. Shares started this year at around $63, and were recently seen trading in the $90 range.

What catalyst might help the bull run continue? Right now, there’s a bill in Congress that would benefit businesses making low-carbon investments, such as Exxon Mobil.

It’s called the Inflation Reduction Act, and it recently earned the support of Sen. Joe Manchin. You might call it a slimmed-down version of the Build Back Better bill. If passed into law, the Inflation Reduction Act could reduce U.S. carbon emissions 40% by 2030.

The bill would extend a tax credit for specified carbon capture and storage. According to MKM Partners analyst Leo Mariani, the credit for carbon that’s permanently stored could be increased from $50 per ton to $85 per ton.

Exxon Mobil is seeking to build a number of carbon-capture hubs in industrial areas. Per Exxon Mobil’s estimate, just one of the company’s envisioned projects near Houston could capture 100 million metric tons of carbon per year. So, Manchin’s bill may end up providing a windfall for Exxon Mobil and its stakeholders.

More Production, More Income

Manchin’s bill is a potential impetus for XOM stock, but let’s not ignore another impactful recent event. In particular, Exxon Mobil just released its quarterly earnings data.

During 2022’s second quarter, Exxon Mobil earned $17.9 billion as measured by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The company attributed this result to increased production, among other factors.

Analysts on Wall Street only expected Exxon Mobil to report $15.2 billion in net earnings, so the company definitely made the grade. Will Exxon Mobil continue to maintain a heavy production schedule, though? Darren Woods, the company’s chairman and CEO, indicated that Exxon Mobil will heed the call to action:

We’re also helping meet increased demand by expanding our refining capacity by about 250,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2023 — representing the industry’s largest single capacity addition in the U.S. since 2012.

What You Can Do Now

Clearly, Exxon Mobil is heavily invested in both fossil-fuel production and carbon-capture technology. Thus, the company is addressing the needs of both the present and the future.

At the same time, Exxon Mobil is demonstrating its ability to profit from a timely production ramp-up. So, this is a great time to consider owning XOM stock for both the dividends and the potential for share price growth.

— Louis Navellier and the InvestorPlace Research Staff

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Source: Investor Place