Energy powerhouses Exxon Mobil and Chevron will likely report strong numbers in their earnings reports for the final quarter of 2012. But will Friday's profit reports be strong enough to rev up the stock prices of the oil and gas titans?
Exxon, the world's largest integrated oil company, struggled a bit in the third quarter weighed down by exploration and production while retail and refining businesses performed well. Third-quarter profits fell to $2.09 per share, but the company has been profitable for the past eight quarters and profits have risen year-over-year for the last four. Analysts expect Exxon to report fourth-quarter earnings of $2.00 a share.