Exxon Mobil's earnings dropped in Q3 2024 primarily due to lower oil prices and reduced production volumes, despite strong refining and chemical margins.
- Oil Prices: The decline in oil prices was a significant factor impacting Exxon's earnings. Lower oil prices directly affect the revenue from oil and gas production, which is a primary source of income for the company1.
- Production Volumes: Reduced production volumes also contributed to the earnings drop. This could be due to operational issues, natural decline in reserves, or strategic decisions by the company to focus on higher-value products2.
- Refining and Chemical Margins: Despite the challenges in oil prices and production volumes, Exxon's refining and chemical segments performed well, indicating that the company's downstream operations remained strong3.
In summary, the combination of lower oil prices and reduced production volumes led to a drop in Exxon Mobil's earnings in Q3 2024, despite solid performance in its refining and chemical segments.