ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) has an over $400 billion market cap, which makes it a truly gargantuan company and one of the biggest players in the energy sector. If you are looking to buy this industry giant today, though, you'll need to make sure you know these three facts. There's a nuance here that could be very important over the long term.

Exxon's business spans the entire value chain of the oil and natural gas sector, from the upstream (drilling) through the midstream (pipelines) and into the downstream (chemicals and refining). That diversification can provide some balance to financial performance in what is a highly cyclical, commodity-driven industry. For example, refining can benefit from the low oil prices that will crimp results in the upstream sector. The business is still volatile, but a little less so than a pure-play producer would be.

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Source Fool.com