How to buy BP (BP) shares

Learn how to easily invest in BP shares.

How to buy BP shares Compare share dealing platforms
BP p.l.c
LSE: BP - GBX
OIL & GAS INTEGRATED
p284.10
+p0.10 (+0.04%)
Fact checked

The price of BP shares fell in February due to its first reported annual loss in a decade, after the pandemic caused a crash in the price of oil and gas. The company is now promising a transition towards more renewable energies, which may attract more sustainably-focused investors.

How to buy shares in BP

  1. Choose a platform. If you're a beginner, our share-dealing table below can help you choose.
  2. Open your account. You'll need your ID, bank details and national insurance number.
  3. Confirm your payment details. You'll need to fund your account with a bank transfer, debit card or credit card.
  4. Search the platform for stock code: BP in this case.
  5. Research BP shares. The platform should provide the latest information available.
  6. Buy your BP shares. It's that simple.
The whole process can take as little as 15 minutes.

What's in this guide?

  1. Can I buy shares in BP?
  2. Has coronavirus impacted BP shares?
  3. BP shares summary
  4. Compare share dealing platforms
  5. Is BP stock a buy or sell?
  6. Performance over time
  7. Is BP suitable for ethical investing?
  8. Are BP shares over-valued?
  9. Financials
  10. How volatile are BP shares?
  11. Does BP pay a dividend?
  12. Have BP shares ever split?
  13. Other common questions

How has coronavirus impacted BP's share price?

Since the stock market crash that started in February 2020, BP's share price has had significant negative movement.

Its last market close was 323.2p, which is 28.74% down on its pre-crash value of 453.55p and 45.00% up on the lowest point reached during the March 2020 crash when the shares fell as low as 222.9p.

If you had bought £1,000 worth of BP shares at the start of February 2020, those shares would have been worth £567.49 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 £713.95.

BP share price (LSE:BP)

Use our graph to track the performance of BP stocks over time.

BP shares at a glance

Information last updated 2021-07-09.
Open307.6p
High311.25p
Low304.3p
Close310.9p
Previous close307.7p
Change3.2p
Change %1.04%
Volume27,718,509
Information last updated 2021-07-22.
52-week range188.4063p - 336.95p
50-day moving average314.8528p
200-day moving average301.1144p
Wall St. target price7.99p
Dividend yield21p (7.26%)
Earnings per share (TTM)23.4p
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Fees for buying 100x BP shares with popular platforms

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
eToro Free Stocks logo £0 $200 £0.00
£310.90 total
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Fineco logo £0 No minimum £0.00
£310.90 total
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Freetrade logo £0 No minimum £0.00
£310.90 total
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Degiro Share Dealing logo £0 £0.01 £1.79
£312.69 total
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Hargreaves Lansdown Fund and Share Account logo £0 £1 £11.95
£322.85 total
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interactive investor Trading Account logo £9.99 per month No minimum £7.99
£318.89 total
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Halifax Share Dealing Account logo £36 per year £20 £9.50
£320.40 total
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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.

Is it a good time to buy BP stock?

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.

BP price performance over time

Historical closes compared with the last close of 310.9p

1 month (2021-06-25) -4.49%
3 months (2021-04-21) 5.14%

Is BP under- or over-valued?

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.

PEG ratio

BP's "price/earnings-to-growth ratio" can be calculated by dividing its P/E ratio by its growth – to give 0.43. A PEG ratio below 1 can be interpreted as meaning the shares are not overvalued given the current rate of growth.

The PEG ratio provides a broader view than just the P/E ratio, as it gives more insight into BP'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 BP's PEG ratio in relation to those of similar companies.

EBITDA

BP's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) is a whopping £19.8 billion.

The EBITDA is a measure of a BP'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.

Financials

Revenue TTM £183.6 billion
Gross profit TTM £25.8 billion
Return on assets TTM -3.17%
Return on equity TTM -12.64%
Profit margin -6.14%
Book value 3.742p
Market capitalisation £57.5 billion

TTM: trailing 12 months

Environmental, social and governance track record

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 BP.

Total ESG risk score

BP's total ESG risk: 39.4

Socially conscious investors use ESG scores to screen how an investment aligns with their worldview, and BP's overall score of 39.4 (as at 12/31/2018) is pretty weak – landing it in it in the 82nd percentile of companies rated in the same sector.

ESG scores are increasingly used to estimate the level of risk a company like BP 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 BP's total ESG risk score against those of similar companies.

Environmental score

BP's environmental score: 21.01/100

BP's environmental score of 21.01 puts it squarely in the 4th percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that BP is a leader in its sector terms of its environmental impact, and exposed to a lower level of risk.

Social score

BP's social score: 11.95/100

BP's social score of 11.95 puts it squarely in the 4th percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that BP is a leader in its sector when it comes to taking good care of its workforce and the communities it impacts.

Governance score

BP's governance score: 11.44/100

BP's governance score puts it squarely in the 4th percentile of companies rated in the same sector. That could suggest that BP is a leader in its sector when it comes to responsible management and strategy, and exposed to a lower level of risk.

Controversy score

BP's controversy score: 2/5

ESG scores also evaluate any incidences of controversy that a company has been involved in. A high-profile company, BP scored a 2 out of 5 for controversy – the second-highest score possible, reflecting that BP has, for the most part, managed to keep its nose clean.

Wondering how that compares? Below are the controversy scores of similar companies.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) summary

BP p.l.c was last rated for ESG on: 2019-01-01.

Total ESG score 39.4
Total ESG percentile 81.56
Environmental score 21.01
Environmental score percentile 4
Social score 11.95
Social score percentile 4
Governance score 11.44
Governance score percentile 4
Level of controversy 2

BP share dividends

7.3%

Dividend yield: 7.26% of stock value

5.1%

Forward annual dividend yield: 5.13% of stock value

BP has recently paid out dividends equivalent to 7.26% of its share value annually.

The latest dividend was paid out to all shareholders who bought their shares by 5 May 2021 (the "ex-dividend date").

BP's dividend yield is perhaps best considered in relation to those of similar companies.

Have BP's shares ever split?

BP's shares were split on a 2:1 basis on 3 October 1999. So if you had owned 1 share the day before before the split, the next day you'd have owned 2 shares. This wouldn't directly have changed the overall worth of your BP shares – just the quantity. However, indirectly, the new 50% lower share price could have impacted the market appetite for BP shares which in turn could have impacted BP's share price.

Share price volatility

Over the last 12 months, BP's shares have ranged in value from as little as 188.4063p up to 336.95p. A popular way to gauge a stock's volatility is its "beta".

BP.LSE volatility(beta: 0.87)Avg. volatility(beta: 1.00)LowHigh

Beta is a measure of a share's volatility in relation to the market. The market (LSE average) beta is 1, while BP's is 0.8689. This would suggest that BP's shares are less volatile than average (for this exchange).

To put BP's beta into context you can compare it against those of similar companies.

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BP in the news

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2 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    MichaelAugust 7, 2018

    which Broker should I invest buying BPshares?

    Reply
      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      JoshuaAugust 15, 2018Staff

      Hi Michael,

      Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)

      Whilst we are unable to give a recommendation on a specific option, let me help you make the right decision. By assessing your current and future needs, preference, and budget, you will be able to know which broker is the right one for you.

      Another thing you can do is compare your options through the table found on this page. The table is found under the subheading “Compare these platforms and trade BP shares.” By doing so, you will be able to see the pros and cons of each broker. Once you find the right one for you, then click the “Go to site” green button to learn more.

      I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.

      Have a wonderful day!

      Cheers,
      Joshua

      Reply
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