With more than one century of paying dividends under its belt, it's difficult to argue that ExxonMobil (XOM +0.66%) isn't dedicated to returning capital to investors.
But it's not only dividends that the company embraces to reward shareholders -- ExxonMobil is also committed to buying back shares in 2026. Let's take a look at how the company chose to return $9.4 billion in capital to shareholders in the second quarter of 2026.
Image source: Getty Images.
$9.4 billion returned to investors, and there's still more coming through the rest of the year
One of the largest energy companies by market cap, according to recent research from The Motley Fool, ExxonMobil generated an impressive $26.1 billion in free cash flow in 2025. Of that, the company returned $17.2 billion in dividends to shareholders and bought back $20 billion in stock.
NYSE: XOM
Key Data Points
Little has changed so far in 2026 -- nor will it likely change if the company adheres to its guidance.
In Q1 2026, ExxonMobil returned $4.3 billion to shareholders in dividends and bought back $4.9 billion of stock. More recently, in Q2 2026, ExxonMobil returned $4.3 billion to investors through dividends and $5.1 billion through share buybacks.
Management has projected share repurchases totaling $20 billion for 2026, and it seems likely that the company will boost its dividend higher in the coming months when it reports third-quarter 2026 financial results.
Drilling down deeper into ExxonMobil's dedication to dividends
While ExxonMobil's history of paying a dividend for more than a century is remarkable, it's only part of the story. The company also deserves recognition for its streak of hiking its payout higher for 43 consecutive years, a feat that distinguishes it from many of its dividend-paying peers.
Over the past four decades, management has proven adept at balancing the company's financial health with rewarding shareholders, a dynamic that will likely persist in the coming years. For income investors seeking an energy stock to help fuel their passive income streams, ExxonMobil stock is a worthy consideration.
