Stock Markets July 24, 2026 12:03 PM

Options Signal a 3.3% Expected Move for ExxonMobil Ahead of July 31 Results

Options data point to a modest intraday swing when ExxonMobil reports before markets open on July 31

By Marcus Reed
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Options pricing compiled by Bloomberg implies that ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. shares could move about 3.3% when the company announces earnings on July 31 prior to the market open. Historical comparisons across the last eight earnings releases show that actual stock moves have at times exceeded, but often fallen short of, the options-implied moves.

Options Signal a 3.3% Expected Move for ExxonMobil Ahead of July 31 Results
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Key Points

  • Options pricing compiled by Bloomberg implies a 3.3% expected move for ExxonMobil when it reports earnings on July 31 before the market opens.
  • In the last eight earnings announcements, ExxonMobil's stock moved more than the options-implied amount in three cases and less in five cases.
  • Sectors impacted include energy equities and option markets, where implied volatility and earnings-driven moves influence trading and risk management decisions.

Options markets are pricing in a 3.3% expected move for ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. stock when the energy company reports earnings on July 31 before U.S. markets open, according to options data compiled by Bloomberg.


The options-implied figure reflects the market's aggregated expectations for the magnitude of a share-price swing around the earnings announcement. Across the most recent eight quarterly reports, ExxonMobil's actual price movement has exceeded that options-implied amount in three instances, while in the other five it moved by less than the market's implied expectation.

  • On May 1, the options market implied a 2.5% move; the stock's actual change was 1.5%.
  • On January 30, the implied move was 2.0%, and the stock moved 5.8%.
  • On October 31, 2025, options implied a 2.1% move, and the stock declined 1.4%.
  • On August 1, 2025, the options market suggested a 2.1% move; the stock fell 1.0%.
  • On May 2, 2025, implied volatility pointed to a 3.1% move; the stock declined 2.2%.
  • On January 31, 2025, the stock dropped 3.0% compared with an implied move of 2.6%.
  • On November 1, 2024, the stock fell 3.9% against a 1.4% implied move.
  • On August 2, 2024, options indicated a 2.2% move while the stock declined 0.5%.

Those past outcomes illustrate a mix of outcomes relative to options-derived expectations: several quarters saw smaller-than-implied moves, while a subset recorded larger-than-implied price swings. The 3.3% implied figure for the July 31 release is the market's current consensus estimate of the absolute intraday change the stock might experience around the announcement.

Investors and market participants often monitor options-implied moves ahead of earnings to gauge expected volatility and to size positions accordingly. The specific implied percentage is a snapshot reflecting current options prices and can change as traders adjust positions in the days leading up to the report.


Note: The 3.3% implied move and the historical comparisons above are drawn from options data compiled by Bloomberg and the recorded share-price changes on the dates listed.

Risks

  • Options-implied moves are estimates based on current options pricing and can change prior to the earnings release, affecting expectations for volatility - relevant to traders using options and equity derivatives.
  • Historical behavior shows inconsistency between implied moves and actual price changes, introducing uncertainty for investors sizing positions ahead of results - relevant to equity investors in the energy sector.
  • Actual post-earnings price moves have at times been larger than implied, creating downside or upside risk for participants who rely solely on implied-move estimates - relevant to market makers and hedgers.

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