BAE Systems plc (BA) is a leading aerospace and defence business based in the UK. It opened the day at 537.6p after a previous close of 537.4p. During the day the price has varied from a low of 536p to a high of 544.8p. The latest price was 544.2p (25 minute delay). BAE Systems is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and employs 90,000 staff. All prices are listed in pence sterling.
Best for
US shares
Best for
Low-cost
Best for
Beginners
Best for
Range of stock exchanges
Since the stock market crash that started in February 2020, BAE Systems's share price has had significant negative movement.
Its last market close was 560.2p, which is 16.26% down on its pre-crash value of 669p and 30.70% up on the lowest point reached during the March 2020 crash when the shares fell as low as 428.6p.
If you had bought £1,000 worth of BAE Systems shares at the start of February 2020, those shares would have been worth £683.63 at the bottom of the March crash, and if you held on to them, then as of the last market close they'd be worth £872.57.
| Open | 537.6p |
|---|---|
| High | 544.8p |
| Low | 536p |
| Close | 544.2p |
| Previous close | 537.4p |
| Change | 6.8p |
| Change % | 1.2654% |
| Volume | 1,524,105 |
| 52-week range | 395.7925p - 590p |
|---|---|
| 50-day moving average | 568.7445p |
| 200-day moving average | 531.1895p |
| Wall St. target price | 652.67p |
| PE ratio | 10.1855 |
| Dividend yield | 24.2p (4.37%) |
| Earnings per share (TTM) | 55p |
Other fees apply. Your capital is at risk.
Share prices fluctuate in real time, so the costs presented here should be considered as a guide only. They do not incorporate stamp duty. Always refer to the platform itself for availability and pricing – which may differ from our information.
| Platform | Platform fee | Min. initial deposit | Trading fee estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
£0 | No minimum | £0.00 £544.20 total |
Capital at risk |
|
£0 | $50 | £0.00 £544.20 total |
Capital at risk |
 |
£0 | £0.01 | £1.83 £546.03 total |
Capital at risk |
|
£0 | £1 | £11.95 £556.15 total |
Capital at risk |
 |
£9.99 per month | No minimum | £7.99 £552.19 total |
Capital at risk |
 |
£0 | No minimum | £0.00 £544.20 total |
Capital at risk |
 |
£36 per year | £20 | £9.50 £553.70 total |
Capital at risk |
Full comparison of share dealing platforms
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
The technical analysis gauge below displays real-time ratings for the timeframes you select. This is not a recommendation, however. It represents a technical analysis based on the most popular technical indicators: Moving Averages, Oscillators and Pivots. Finder might not concur and takes no responsibility.
Historical closes compared with the last close of 544.2p
| 1 week (2021-09-13) | -1.95% |
|---|---|
| 1 month (2021-08-20) | -5.16% |
| 3 months (2021-06-18) | 1.53% |
| 6 months (2021-03-19) | 11.17% |
| 1 year (2020-09-18) | 2.99% |
|---|---|
| 2 years (2019-09-19) | -7.01% |
| 3 years (2018-09-19) | -14.46% |
| 5 years (2016-09-19) | 0.41% |
Valuing a stock is incredibly difficult, and any metric has to be viewed as part of a bigger picture of overall performance. However, analysts commonly use some key metrics to help gauge value.
BAE Systems's current share price divided by its per-share earnings (EPS) over a 12-month period gives a "trailing price/earnings ratio" of roughly 10x. In other words, BAE Systems shares trade at around 10x recent earnings.
That's relatively low compared to, say, the trailing 12-month P/E ratio for the FTSE 250 at the end of September 2019 (19.71). The low P/E ratio could mean that investors are pessimistic about the outlook for the shares or simply that they're under-valued.
However, BAE Systems's P/E ratio is best considered in relation to those of others within the aerospace & defense industry or those of similar companies.
BAE Systems's "price/earnings-to-growth ratio" can be calculated by dividing its P/E ratio by its growth – to give 1.6192. A PEG ratio over 1 can be interpreted as meaning shares are overvalued at the current rate of growth, or may anticipate an acceleration in growth.
The PEG ratio provides a broader view than just the P/E ratio, as it gives more insight into BAE Systems's future profitability. By accounting for growth, it could also help you if you're comparing the share prices of multiple high-growth companies.
However, it's sensible to consider BAE Systems's PEG ratio in relation to those of similar companies.
BAE Systems's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) is a whopping £2.5 billion.
The EBITDA is a measure of a BAE Systems's overall financial performance and is widely used to measure a its profitability.
To put that into context you can compare it against similar companies.
| Revenue TTM | £19.4 billion |
|---|---|
| Operating margin TTM | 10.81% |
| Gross profit TTM | £12.4 billion |
| Return on assets TTM | 4.81% |
| Return on equity TTM | 32.31% |
| Profit margin | 9.09% |
| Book value | 2.168p |
| Market capitalisation | £18 billion |
TTM: trailing 12 months
Environmental, social and governance (known as ESG) criteria are a set of three factors used to measure the sustainability and social impact of companies like BAE Systems.
BAE Systems's total ESG risk: 34.72
Socially conscious investors use ESG scores to screen how an investment aligns with their worldview, and BAE Systems's overall score of 34.72 (as at 01/01/2019) is pretty weak – landing it in it in the 71st percentile of companies rated in the same sector.
ESG scores are increasingly used to estimate the level of risk a company like BAE Systems is exposed to within the areas of "environmental" (carbon footprint, resource use etc.), "social" (health and safety, human rights etc.), and "governance" (anti-corruption, tax transparency etc.).
To gain some more context, you can compare BAE Systems's total ESG risk score against those of similar companies.
BAE Systems's environmental score: 5.99/100
BAE Systems's environmental score of 5.99 puts it squarely in the 1st percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that BAE Systems is a leader in its sector terms of its environmental impact, and exposed to a lower level of risk.
BAE Systems's social score: 18.44/100
BAE Systems's social score of 18.44 puts it squarely in the 1st percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that BAE Systems is a leader in its sector when it comes to taking good care of its workforce and the communities it impacts.
BAE Systems's governance score: 2.29/100
BAE Systems's governance score puts it squarely in the 1st percentile of companies rated in the same sector. That could suggest that BAE Systems is a leader in its sector when it comes to responsible management and strategy, and exposed to a lower level of risk.
BAE Systems's controversy score: 3/5
ESG scores also evaluate any incidences of controversy that a company has been involved in. A high-profile company, BAE Systems scored a 3 out of 5 for controversy – a middle-of-the-table result reflecting that BAE Systems hasn't always managed to keep its nose clean.
Wondering how that compares? Below are the controversy scores of similar companies.
BAE Systems plc was last rated for ESG on: 2019-01-01.
| Total ESG score | 34.72 |
|---|---|
| Total ESG percentile | 70.98 |
| Environmental score | 5.99 |
| Environmental score percentile | 1 |
| Social score | 18.44 |
| Social score percentile | 1 |
| Governance score | 2.29 |
| Governance score percentile | 1 |
| Level of controversy | 3 |
Dividend yield: 4.37% of stock value
Forward annual dividend yield: 4.37% of stock value
Dividend payout ratio: 51.63% of net profits
BAE Systems has recently paid out dividends equivalent to 4.37% of its share value annually.
BAE Systems has paid out, on average, around 51.63% of recent net profits as dividends. That has enabled analysts to estimate a "forward annual dividend yield" of 4.37% of the current stock value. This means that over a year, based on recent payouts (which are sadly no guarantee of future payouts), shareholders could enjoy a 4.37% return on their shares, in the form of dividend payments. In BAE Systems's case, that would currently equate to about 24.2p per share.
BAE Systems's payout ratio would broadly be considered high, and as such this stock could appeal to those looking to generate an income. Bear in mind however that companies should normally also look to re-invest a decent amount of net profits to ensure future growth.
The latest dividend was paid out to all shareholders who bought their shares by 21 October 2021 (the "ex-dividend date").
BAE Systems's dividend yield is perhaps best considered in relation to those of similar companies.
BAE Systems's shares were split on a 4:1 basis on 5 May 1998. So if you had owned 1 share the day before before the split, the next day you'd have owned 4 shares. This wouldn't directly have changed the overall worth of your BAE Systems shares – just the quantity. However, indirectly, the new 75% lower share price could have impacted the market appetite for BAE Systems shares which in turn could have impacted BAE Systems's share price.
Over the last 12 months, BAE Systems's shares have ranged in value from as little as 395.7925p up to 590p. A popular way to gauge a stock's volatility is its "beta".
Beta is a measure of a share's volatility in relation to the market. The market (LSE average) beta is 1, while BAE Systems's is 1.0125. This would suggest that BAE Systems's shares are a little bit more volatile than the average for this exchange and represent, relatively-speaking, a slightly higher risk (but potentially also market-beating returns).
To put BAE Systems's beta into context you can compare it against those of similar companies.
Subscribe to trending stock alerts for a chance to win
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Rocket Lab USA? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Rocket Lab USA.
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Camber Energy? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Camber Energy.
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Aterian? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Aterian.
Ever wondered how to buy shares in eFFECTOR Therapeutics? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including eFFECTOR Therapeutics.
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG.
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Basilea Pharmaceutica? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Basilea Pharmaceutica.
Ever wondered how to buy shares in AB Science S.A.? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including AB Science.
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Acacia Pharma Group? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Acacia Pharma Group.
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Blue Water Acquisition? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Blue Water Acquisition.
Learn more about Aditxt’s recent performance and where you can invest in Aditxt shares. We also run through some helpful rules of thumb for any investor.
