As was reported in AP online, "Members of the Rockefeller family are pressuring Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) to focus more on renewable energy. The family members, who say they are the oil giant's longest continuous shareholders, say Exxon is too focused on short-term gains from sky-high oil prices. They also argue splitting the roles of chairman and CEO will help the company be more flexible in the future."
Last time I checked, companies had a responsibility to provide value for shareholders, and no one has done it better than the oil giant. It has been producing record earnings quarter after quarter, and that is exactly what it is supposed to do. Corporations are not supposed to be politically correct organizations that throw money around at the latest fad. Maybe Exxon doesn't believe that there is a global warming problem? Or maybe it wants to see a lot more scientific evidence of the problem before committing billions and billions of dollars to research. If I were a shareholder, I would want management to take the exact approach that it has been taking. The fact that it is the most profitable company in the world means something. It should be commended for providing shareholder value.
In fact, Bloomberg has an article that says that ocean cooling will stop global warming. Moreover, the article indeed mentions that the authors tried to spin the article because of Exxon. "We thought a lot about the way to present this because we don't want it to be turned around in the wrong way," Keenlyside said. "I hope it doesn't become a message of Exxon Mobil and other skeptics."
Sounds to me that they are right to be skeptical.
Aaron Katsman is the lead Portfolio Manager and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. and Senior Editor of IsraelNewsletter.com. DISCLOSURE: Writer's fund has no position in any stock mentioned, as of 5/1/08











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-01-2008 @ 12:03PM
Jeff said...
well at least you've exposed yourself for you who are, a morally empty hack with no outlook beyond the $ in your hand.
5-01-2008 @ 12:40PM
Tommy said...
XOM's management seems a bit shortsighted, no matter how many billions its members grasp in their grubby little fists from the current balloon of oil prices. A great company would be using revenues the size of XOM's to research the next generation of power source, be it wind, batty, solar or bull crapola. A company that lives on its current revenue laurels is not only not politically correct, but is also denying its shareholders the long-term outlook they deserve.
5-01-2008 @ 12:58PM
lrbinfrisco said...
Exxon is a an oil and gas company, not a producer of electricity. Their strengths are around exploring for places to drill for oil and gas, extracting the oil and gas from the earth, transporting the oil and gas to refineries, and manufacturing products from oil and gas. Their strengths don't translate into solar, wind, tridal, or other renewable engergy sources. Add to this that climate science is a fairly immature science, it would be very irresponsible for Exxon to invest a large percentage of it's capital in an industry that does not take advantage of their core strengths. To do otherwise would be extremely foolish.