Actually, it's the scale of operations that makes it look more lucrative than it really is. Exxon Mobile is the world's largest petroleum company. Stockholders have about $170 Billion invested in the company. So, that $1.8 Billion in profit is about 1.1% return on all that money invested. That's about 43 cents for each share of investment. Not so much if you put it into the right perspective.