Originally Posted by Izzy351

$10-$12B profit in one quarter by E-M is record profits. Period.

It applies because no other company has ever made that much profit in one quarter before now. To go even further, now they're cutting production because supply is UP and demand is DOWN.

So, now I've answered your question -- now answer mine. Why are we being charged double from last year when the above situation applies? And why are they doing that? I have my own idea why, I just want to hear yours.

Originally Posted by ggirten

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) posted a $10.89 billion first-quarter profit on Thursday but still managed to disappoint investors as weak production volumes and low refining margins blunted the impact of the record-high crude prices.


Good Ol' Corporate greed. Almost 11 billion profit isn't enough for Wall Street.

Originally Posted by aklim

Ah so how much they spent to make that money is irrelevant. Have you studied percentages in math classes? If they spent 100 bil to make 10 bil, isn't that still 10%?

Has any other company spent as much as they have?

USD is hosed, Other places are demanding oil, speculators are running up the market.

Originally Posted by Izzy351

Hey, brainiac... They didn't spend $1000 to make $100. Your scenario is a LOSS, not a profit.

Their NET PROFITS are $10-$12B per quarter!!

Originally Posted by aklim

If you spent $1000 and made $100, what greatness have you achieved? Now if you spent $1000 and made $400, then we have something to talk about. I don't give a rip how much you made. It is a meaningless number. If you made 1000 but spent 10000 to make it, you are still at 10%. Sure, you can say the other guy made $400. Well he spent 1000 to make it. You spent way more to make a lower percentage profit. Hence I don't think you are savvy as he is. If I were looking to reward somebody, it won't be you even though you say you made $600 more than the other guy. Why? He took less and made more profit (percentage wise) out of what he had than you did. If I gave him what you had, perhaps he would outstrip you. So saying you made 11 bil is MEANINGLESS except to people who have no grasp of percentages. Those are the ones that get impressed by raw numbers. Something the media is counting on. The simpletons.

Originally Posted by haulingboat

I have to disagree with your logic here. Of coarse high margins are great. The higher the better, but profit is not a meaningless number. High percentages of margin are good but they don't pay the bills. Operating on low margin means you are more suseptible to loss of all profit, one thing goes wrong and PUFF......your profit is gone and your in the hole.


BUT, you can't pay the light bill with percentages. If you could choose, would you make Billions off of ten percent margins or would you make millions from a fourty percent margin?

Originally Posted by Izzy351

"Moving on to the weak U.S. dollar as a primary cause for skyrocketing oil prices—there is "some" truth in that statement. But consider this: The dollar has depreciated 30% against the world's currencies since 2002, while the price of oil has gone up 500%. So is it the weak dollar that has caused a 500% increase in the price of oil, or is it the extra $241 billion worth of speculation? You can make the call on that one."

Originally Posted by aklim

I agree. However, telling me you made $X profit without stating how much you spent to make it is meaningless or do you disagree with that? That is like me saying "Last year, I made $100000 profit". I don't see how much that tells me as to how profitable you are.

Originally Posted by haulingboat

As it stands now, no one in the world has ever recorded a larger cash profit than Exxonmobil. There very well may be folks with alot higher margins, but no has ever exceeded the dollar amount in profit before.

Originally Posted by WILDMAN_Stroker*7.3

<table class="bwtablebottommargin" id="t5673866_3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextaligncenter" id="t5673866_3_3_9725" colspan="5">Attached is a short summary from Exxons earnings statement on what it cost to make the money.

EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextaligncenter bwsinglebottomborder" id="t5673866_3_4_9725" colspan="5">FIRST QUARTER 2008 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextaligncenter" id="t5673866_3_5_9725" colspan="5">(millions of dollars, unless noted) </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextaligncenter bwsinglebottomborder" id="t5673866_3_6_9725" colspan="3">First Quarter </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextaligncenter bwsinglebottomborder" id="t5673866_3_7_8365">2008 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextaligncenter bwsinglebottomborder" id="t5673866_3_7_9725">2007 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_8_4847">Earnings / Earnings Per Share </td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_10_4847">Total revenues and other income </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_10_8365">116,854 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_10_9725">87,223 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_11_4847">Total costs and other deductions </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_11_8365">96,662 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_11_9725">71,159 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_12_4847">Income before income taxes </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_12_8365">20,192 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_12_9725">16,064 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft4 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_13_4847">Income taxes </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_13_8365">9,302 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_13_9725">6,784 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_14_4847">Net income (U.S. GAAP) </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_14_8365">10,890 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_14_9725">9,280 </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_16_4847">Net income per common share (dollars) </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_16_8365">2.05 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_16_9725">1.64 </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_18_4847">Net income per common share - assuming dilution (dollars)
</td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_18_8365">2.03 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_18_9725">1.62 </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_20_4847">Other Financial Data </td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_22_4847">Dividends on common stock </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_22_8365">
</td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_22_9725">
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft4 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_23_4847">Total </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_23_8365">1,879 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_23_9725">1,825 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft4 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_24_4847">Per common share (dollars) </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_24_8365">0.35 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_24_9725">0.32 </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_26_4847">Millions of common shares outstanding </td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft4 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_27_4847">At March 31 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_27_8365">5,284 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_27_9725">5,633 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft4 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_28_4847">Average - assuming dilution </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_28_8365">5,362 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_28_9725">5,714 </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_30_4847">Shareholders' equity at March 31 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_30_8365">123,139 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_30_9725">114,110 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_31_4847">Capital employed at March 31 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_31_8365">135,503 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_31_9725">124,266 </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_33_4847">Income taxes </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_33_8365">9,302 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_33_9725">6,784 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_34_4847">Sales-based taxes </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_34_8365">8,432 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_34_9725">7,284 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_35_4847">All other taxes </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_35_8365">11,607 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_35_9725">10,408 </td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft4 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_36_4847">Total taxes </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_36_8365">29,341 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_36_9725">24,476 </td></tr><tr><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>
</td></tr><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft2 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" id="t5673866_3_38_4847">ExxonMobil's share of income taxes of equity companies
</td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_38_8365">1,005 </td><td>
</td><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwwhitespacenowrap bwcellpaddingright0 bwverticalalignbottom bwtextalignright" id="t5673866_3_38_9725">573 </td></tr></tbody></table>