What did you expect?

Recently there was alot of buzz around Exxon Mobile's record profits. Even though there is a unique situation related to public reaction to high gas prices, this negative public outcry is not unique. People are expecting that companies should have used that money for alternative purposes than filling executive purses. Local jobs, environmental initiatives, lower product prices are all things that general public would prefer to "running up the score" just because they can.

Unfortunately, those same members of the public are also shareholders often without even realizing it. Shareholders expect these ( and higher ) profits and are punishing companies on a merciless basis if they do not meet their expectations which are often in the order of a minumum 20% increase in profits each and every year.

So the only question when you read an article like: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080731/ap_on_bi_ge/earns_exxon_mobil is "what did you expect?"

Do you expect companies to do the right thing for society? Or are you a shareholder in one of the 1600+ institutional funds holding the majority ( 53% ) of Exxon Mobil shares?