ExxonMobil Is One of 2026's Hottest Stocks. Should You Still Own It?

ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) stock is up almost 18% in 2026, even as the S&P 500 index is essentially flat. The move stems from the spike in oil prices driven by the conflict in the Persian Gulf. Still, the question is whether ExxonMobil is still worth holding now. Here are the bull and bear cases for the stock.The most optimistic case for the stock rests on the idea that the market is underestimating the potential for a "higher for longer" oil price. A previous analysis of oil futures suggests the market believes the impact of the conflict on oil prices will be relatively short-lived, with a return to muhc lower prices by autumn.That view may prove too optimistic, as the conflict is far from resolved, the strait is blockaded, and, although it's in almost everybody's interest to reopen it, there's no agreement on the conditions for its reopening. There's also major doubt about insurance coverage for shipping companies and cargo owners; there is no clarity yet on the full extent of energy infrastructure in the region or the risk premium that energy customers will now place on buying from countries in the Arabian Peninsula.Continue readingWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool