Many people love to complain about huge profits.
Does anyone know what is the capital invested? IOW what is the return on the investment? Gross numbers of profit mean almost nothing; the ROI is meaningful.
Does anyone have the figures?

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Key data on Exxon..

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=XOM

In 2006 EM paid 7 billion in dividends while repurchasing 28 billion of their own stock. Lots and lots of free cash flow...

The return on investment for oil companies is typically in the 10-15% range.

Compare that to what was made in the dot com era, or in real estate. Didn't hear too much outrage over "windfall profits" in those cases.

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MB-less

This was on another board. They spent 364 to get 404. 40 profit which means what? 11%? I would hope my company makes more than 11% or i might have to close shop and go fishing.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

.

If you think your not a slave to Exxon your a idiot,
and a slave.

If you think this is a free market economy you don't know siht
about the Federal Reserve and government lobbyists.

If you think money is the source of happiness
You live in fear, and will only find fleeting temporary happiness.

Wake up people, before it is too late for everyone !!!

Thank you
Have Fun !
RichC

.

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When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
Jimi Hendrix

If we don't make 19.4% we can't cover our expenses and might as well close the door. If we can't make 32%+ our compensation wouldn't be commensurate with the time, money and effort we put in.

The number of cars in line determines where I buy my gas/diesel. I hate waiting around and jockeying for position.

__________________

1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

But you see, that is why I don't understand why people get so agitated with them making 40 billion when they spent way more than that.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Oh, I know. For 11% most business owners would close up shop. The ones that weren't smart enough to would run themselves into bankruptcy.

__________________

1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Fine with me if Exxon makes that much cash - they're a well-run company that pays their employees well. Those employees buy cars, houses, furniture, vacations, land, and invest in stock markets. When the companies do well, we all do well. Wake up.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

Well if this evil entity doesn't take oil, refine it, and sell it to people and businesses, another evil entity will take its place. It just won't be called Exxon.

Energy and health care are just two of many controversial business areas. Almost everybody, like it or not, relies on them to some extent throughout their lifetimes. That's why they are good for the high-risk portions of my investment portfolio.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

Capitalism sucks!
It just sucks less than any other system.

Capitalism works for a moral people. We are not a moral people. Government exists to set limits on capitalism.

There are far worse examples of greed than Exxon. I can't remember the details, but there is a health-care exec, or insurance co exec that makes something over $3000 a minute- (based on a 40 hr week, but he is salaried, of course). That is ridiculous. NoOne can possible ( in my world) , have that kind of value to the company. He is at fault for demanding it; the Board of Directors is at fault for paying it. Why are there not stock holder suits against such criminal behavior?

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Well, in Utopia, the perfect system exists.

Sure. The immoral leading the immoral.

In your world, true.

The market sets the value of a person. Find a similarly qualified person for the board of directors that will work for less and they might give you a finder's fee.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Thanks to our fearless President Bush and Clinton they both should rot in oil.

Question for the OP. Besides fuel, what else comes from ExxonMobil at the station? Aren't those usually independent owned franchises?

Next. What else from Exxon Mobil should we not buy? What about if the material for our seats come from EM? After all, oil makes other products too. What about them? You going to boycott them too? Good luck tracking down whose product makes what.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

In solidarity for Vwbuge's position on this thread, yesterday I refrained from buying a Sunday newspaper at the Exxon station...