[curiosity]

They are in a huge stock buyback mode, spending over $13 billion so far this year buying back their stock at the highest market price the stock has ever reached.

Their shareholders bore a lot of risk. It's perfectly reasonable to have cash returned to them. Buybacks are the most tax-efficient way of doing it.

[aShepard]

.....Their shareholders bore a lot of risk. It's perfectly reasonable to have cash returned to them. Buybacks are the most tax-efficient way of doing it.......

Any shareholder can cash out at any time they please, short time or long term. Buyback or Sale is only a timing issue.

I believe that XOM should be focusing their future on their core businesses, investing as much cash as possible on both finding petro's, and converting the raw petro to marketable product.

I have absolutely no problem with any company making great profits, as they then incur great tax burdens, but I do have a problem with a potentially great growth company buying back stock at the highest prices in its history, to forego a 2.+% dividend.

There's got to be a better investment, even if they loaned their cash at say 7%, or, maybe even built a new refinery!