A group called the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has just released a report making the outlandish claim that ExxonMobil can no longer provide returns to its investors due to “climate change controversies” that have supposedly put it “under considerable financial stress.”

Putting the absurdity of these claims aside for the moment, it will come as no surprise that IEEFA is funded by the Rockefeller Family Fund, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Mertz-Gilmore Foundation, and the Energy Foundation – the very groups have been bankrolling the entire #ExxonKnew campaign.

But that’s not all. The President of IEEFA’s Board of Directors Larry Shapiro, just happens to be the associate director for program development at the Rockefeller Family Fund.

Of course, the Rockefeller Family Fund held that secret meeting in January 2016 at its headquarters in New York where #ExxonKnew activists brainstormed ways they could “delegitimize [ExxonMobil] as a political actor” and establish “in the public’s mind that Exxon is a corrupt institution.”

Meanwhile serious, independent financial experts have come to exactly the opposite conclusion about Exxon investments. In fact, US News called ExxonMobil “quite possibly, the best pound-for-pound energy stock on the planet.” The article went on to note,

“It boasts oil and natural gas operations, and it doesn’t just produce – it refines, too. That gives Exxon the ability to make money amid high oil prices and weather the lulls.

“No, you’re never going to jump into Exxon and expect a doubler within a year. But buying XOM on dips – and reaping plentiful capital gains alongside plumped dividends for the trouble – has been a winning strategy for decades. Heck, just ask someone you know who bought XOM a year ago and currently is up 20 percent and sitting on a 4 percent (and growing) yield!

“That success has propelled Exxon into the ranks of Wall Street’s largest stocks, and it’s certainly the biggest energy player by market capitalization. Right now, it’s worth just more than $350 billion, making it some $150 billion larger than rival Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A).”

The Street, an investors’ platform, recently said energy companies, including Exxon, are “crushing the rest of the market”:

“The energy sector is crushing the rest of the market in 2016 — and this trend has further to run…Exxon doesn’t need much in the way of an introduction — this $360 billion integrated energy giant is enormous, and it’s also widely held. That’s been a good thing for investors, given the 11% upside move shares have undertaken this year.

“The good news could be about to get even better.

“That’s because, after spending the last several months correcting, Exxon is showing off a classic breakout trade that could springboard this stock to a test of new highs.”

The number of articles coming to the same conclusion on Seeking Alpha, another investment research platform, is actually kind of overwhelming. Here are a few:

• “Exxon Mobil – Best Choice For Income In Energy”: “Crude oil is still in an uptrend. As long as the August lows hold, Exxon will rally alongside rising energy markets. The weakness in Exxon Mobil’s share price recently should be seen as an opportunity. Nothing will come of the investigations and the stock will rally as a result.” (emphasis added)
• “Why Exxon Mobil’s Momentum is Sustainable”: “On a year-over-year basis, Exxon’s top line is expected to go down almost 9% to $61.3 billion. However, on a sequential basis, investors can expect an impressive comeback in the company’s top line performance. This is because if Exxon is able to meet expectations, its revenue will grow more than 6% on a sequential basis.”
• “Dividend Aristocrats In Focus Part 5: Exxon Mobil”: “Exxon Mobil operates in a highly cyclical industry, but it has generated very strong returns over a long period of time. The company does an excellent job of cutting costs to keep returns on capital high […] It has a proven ability to navigate the ups and downs of the oil market exceptionally well. While its performance can be volatile depending on commodity prices, Exxon Mobil is an excellent stock to hold over the long run for investors looking for high dividends and (relative) stability in the energy sector.”
• “Exxon Mobil: Safe Haven For Oil Dividend Investors During The Oil Crash”: “Let’s take a look at why, and how, Exxon plans to ride out this oil storm, and not just maintain the current payout, but also continue growing it as it has for over a third of a century.”
• “Exxon Mobil: The Comeback Has Arrived”: “XOM shares have been gaining momentum of late on the back of a rise in oil prices and it is likely that the positive momentum will continue in the future.”
• “ExxonMobil: Major Projects Will Fuel Future Growth And Help Protect The Dividend”: “Exxon Mobil has several major projects that have recently ramped up or are set to begin production in 2017.This will significantly boost Exxon’s cash flow and will be a huge positive for Exxon’s future dividend growth prospects.”

Let’s just say that when the #ExxonKnew team has to write their own reports to get the findings they want, things aren’t going too well for them. But in doing so, they only further display how marginalized they have become, pushing claims that are not only debunked but dead and buried.