Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) -1.4% in Wednesday's trading after saying its Q4 earnings were hurt by lower crude prices and narrower refining margins, in a sign that the quarter may have been a tough one for the big oil companies.

Exxon Mobil shares fell nearly 2% in early trading on Wednesday after the top U.S. oil producer warned of a decline in refining profits in the fourth quarter and weak returns across its operations.

KEY TAKEAWAYS ExxonMobil said it expects to take an up to a $900 million hit to its upstream earnings in the fourth quarter versus the previous three months amid falling oil prices.Lower liquids prices are set to bring down its upstream earnings by between $500 million to $900 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared with the third quarter.

Exxon Mobil Corp.’s stock fell 0.5% early Wednesday, after the oil giant said lower oil prices and pressure on refining margins would weigh on fourth-quarter earnings. Oil prices measured by the U.S.

Exxon Mobil signaled on Tuesday that weaker oil prices and refining results would reduce its fourth-quarter earnings by about $1.6 billion from the previous quarter. The oil major also said in an SEC filing that it expects to take impairments in the quarter totaling about $600 million,

Exxon Mobil Corp. said earnings took a hit from lower crude prices and narrowing refining margins during the final three months of 2024.

Exxon Mobil profits will likely miss fourth-quarter-earnings estimates by close to 20%, one analyst argued as he trimmed his numbers. While Exxon Mobil expects changes in gas prices to improve earnings by up to $400 million,