ExxonMobil Corp’s (XOM) chief, Darren Woods announced on Monday (March 6, 2017) that the company will invest $20 billion to expand its manufacturing capacity and create 45000 jobs in the U.S. The new head of the state, President Trump expressed his satisfaction with the development and called Exxon a true success story.
Exxon now looks to invest in the U.S after having located refineries close to raw material sources in the Middle East and East Asia for decades. Woods stated that these projects are export machines that produce goods, which are in great demand in high growth nations.
Exxon is investing in new refining and chemical-manufacturing projects in the U.S. Gulf Coast region to expand its manufacturing and export capacity. The company’s program consists of 11 major chemical, refining, lubricant and liquefied natural gas projects at new as well as existing facilities the company owns along the Texas and Louisiana coasts. These investments began in 2013 and are expected to continue through at least 2022 (read: Solid Sector Earnings Fail to Boost Energy ETFs).
The proposed projects or the ones in progress are expected to create more than 35,000 construction jobs and more than 12,000 full-time jobs.
The Exxon boss also emphasized how free and fair trade is essential for an economy to grow and to enhance corporate profitability in the region. However, this is contradictory to the President’s stance on the same. His take on various international trade deals, including the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico is different as he considers them unfair and disadvantageous to U.S. workers.
Considering these facts, we have the following ETFs to focus on:
iShares U.S. Energy ETF (IYE): This fund offers exposure to investors looking to gain from the domestic energy market. Like most funds in this sector, IYE is concentrated among its top 10 holdings, with around 65% allocated to the same. Exxon has the highest allocation, with a 22.3% holding (read: Energy ETFs Set to Soar This Earnings Season).
