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How to buy BP shares
Own BP shares in just a few minutes. Share price changes are updated daily.
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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
- Choose a platform. If you're a beginner, our share-dealing table below can help you choose.
- Open your account. You'll need your ID, bank details and national insurance number.
- Confirm your payment details. You'll need to fund your account with a bank transfer, debit card or credit card.
- Search the platform for stock code: BP in this case.
- Research BP shares. The platform should provide the latest information available.
- Buy your BP shares. It's that simple.
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What's in this guide?
BP share price
Use our graph to track the performance of BP stocks over time.BP shares at a glance
Information last updated 2021-02-23.
| 52-week range | 182.5014p - 400.2182p |
|---|---|
| 50-day moving average | 279.3944p |
| 200-day moving average | 256.2459p |
| Wall St. target price | 7.99p |
| PE ratio | 20.2373 |
| Dividend yield | 0.263p (0.09%) |
| Earnings per share (TTM) | 23.4p |
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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.
Is BP under- or over-valued?
Valuing BP stock is incredibly difficult, and any metric has to be viewed as part of a bigger picture of BP's overall performance. However, analysts commonly use some key metrics to help gauge the value of a stock.
BP's P/E ratio
BP's current share price divided by its per-share earnings (EPS) over a 12-month period gives a "trailing price/earnings ratio" of roughly 20x. In other words, BP shares trade at around 20x recent earnings.
That's comparable to, say, the trailing 12-month P/E ratio for the FTSE 250 at the end of September 2019 (19.71).
However, BP's P/E ratio is best considered in relation to those of others within the oil & gas integrated industry or those of similar companies.
- Premier Oil (PMO.LSE): 3.19
- Tullow Oil (TLW.LSE): 6.17
- Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA.LSE): 13.00
- Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM.US): 60.95
BP's 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 low ratio can be interpreted as meaning the shares offer better value, while a higher ratio can be interpreted as meaning the shares offer worse value.
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.
BP's EBITDA
BP's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) is a whopping £14.5 billion.
The EBITDA is a measure of a BP's overall financial performance and is widely used to measure a its profitability.
To put BP's EBITDA into context you can compare it against that of similar companies.
- Premier Oil (PMO.LSE): £533.5 million
- Tullow Oil (TLW.LSE): £848.6 million
- Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA.LSE): £27.7 billion
- Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM.US): USD$18.7 billion
BP financials
| Revenue TTM | £179.7 billion |
|---|---|
| Gross profit TTM | £25.3 billion |
| Return on assets TTM | -2.28% |
| Return on equity TTM | -22.26% |
| Profit margin | -11.3% |
| Book value | 3.521p |
| Market capitalisation | £57.7 billion |
TTM: trailing 12 months
BP's 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.
When it comes to ESG scores, lower is better, and lower scores are generally associated with lower risk for would-be investors.
BP's total ESG risk score
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 01/01/2019) 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.
- Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA.LSE): 34.84
- Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM.US): 31.83
BP's environmental score
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.
BP's social score
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.
BP's governance score
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.
BP's controversy score
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
Dividend payout ratio: 590.45% of net profits
Recently BP has paid out, on average, around 590.45% of net profits as dividends. That has enabled analysts to estimate a "forward annual dividend yield" of 5.52% of the current stock value. This means that over a year, based on recent payouts (which are sadly no guarantee of future payouts), BP shareholders could enjoy a 5.52% return on their shares, in the form of dividend payments. In BP's case, that would currently equate to about 0.263p per share.
BP'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 18 February 2021 (the "ex-dividend date").
BP's dividend payout ratio is perhaps best considered in relation to those of similar companies.
- Premier Oil (PMO.LSE): 0.00% (does not pay dividend)
- Tullow Oil (TLW.LSE): 52.31%
- Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA.LSE): 0.00% (does not pay dividend)
- Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM.US): 0.00% (does not pay dividend)
Have BP's shares ever split?
BP's shares were split on a 2:1 basis on 4 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.
BP share price volatility
Over the last 12 months, BP's shares have ranged in value from as little as 182.5014p up to 400.2182p. 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 BP's is 0.7564. 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.
- Premier Oil (PMO.LSE): 3.6452
- Tullow Oil (TLW.LSE): 2.5697
- Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA.LSE): 0.9952
- Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM.US): 1.3783
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BP overview
BP PLC engages in the energy business worldwide. It operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Rosneft. The Upstream segment is involved in the oil and natural gas exploration, and field development and production; midstream transportation, storage, and processing; and marketing and trading of liquefied natural gas (LNG), biogas, power, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). This segment also engages in the ownership and management of crude oil and natural gas pipelines; processing facilities and export terminals; and LNG processing facilities and transportation, as well as NGLs processing business. The Downstream segment refines, manufactures, markets, transports, supplies, and trades in crude oil, petroleum, and petrochemical products and related services to wholesale and retail customers. It offers gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuels; lubricants, and related products and services to the automotive, industrial, marine, and energy markets under the Castrol, BP, and Aral brands; and petrochemical products, such as purified terephthalic acid, paraxylene, acetic acid, olefins and derivatives, and specialty petrochemical products. The Rosneft segment engages in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons, as well as jet fuel, bunkering, bitumen, and lubricants activities. This segment also owns and operates 13 refineries in Russia; and approximately 3,000 retail service stations in Russia and internationally. The company also produces ethanol, bio-isobutanol, bio-power, and solar energy; transports hydrocarbon products through time-chartered and spot-chartered vessels; and holds interests in wind sites. BP PLC was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
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Ask an Expert
which Broker should I invest buying BPshares?
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