How to buy BAE Systems shares

BAE Systems plc (BA) is a publicly traded aerospace and defence business based in the UK which employs around 107,400 staff. BAE Systems is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and traded in sterling. Its current price of 1,779.00p is 17.2% up on its price a month ago (1,517.50p).

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BAE Systems stock chart

Fees calculator for buying BAE Systems shares with popular apps

Both exchange rates and share prices fluctuate in real time, so the costs estimated here should be considered as a guide only. They don't factor in spreads, which can be hard to pin down. Always refer to the platform itself for availability and pricing.

Quantity of shares

Platform	Finder Score	Account fee	Min. initial deposit	Trade cost	Link
	9 Excellent	£0	$100	£1,787.90	Go to siteCapital at risk
	9.1 Excellent	£0	£0	£1,787.90	Go to siteCapital at risk
	9 Excellent	From £0	£0	N/A	Go to siteCapital at risk
	8.8 Great	£0	£0	N/A	Go to siteCapital at risk
	9.2 Excellent	£0	£0	£1,787.90	Go to siteCapital at risk
	8.5 Great	£0 (0.45% for funds)	£1	£1,799.85	Go to siteCapital at risk

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Alternative ways to invest in BAE Systems

• Via a fund
• Via an S&P 500 ETF

Buying shares in just one company is generally considered a riskier bet than investing in a range of investments - AKA a "diversified portfolio". Experts generally recommend holding a mix of investments in specific assets and funds. Funds are ready-made portfolios of multiple companies' shares (potentially including BAE Systems), and the idea is that drops in the value of one constituent company's share price might be offset by rises in others.

BAE Systems is a major part of the London stock exchange, so it's included in many global funds and investment trusts, as well as tracker-style exchange traded funds (ETFs).

ETF	Icon	1-year performance (to May. '25)	5-year performance (to May. '25)	Link
Invesco S&P 500 ETF (SPXP)		5.90%	97.34%	Invest Capital at risk
Xtrackers S&P 500 Swap ETF 1C (XSPX)		5.86%	96.92%	Invest Capital at risk
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF USD (Acc) (CSP1)		5.83%	95.53%	Invest Capital at risk
HSBC S&P 500 ETF (HSPX)		4.64%	84.36%	Invest Capital at risk

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Is it a good time to buy BAE Systems stock?

Review technicals and fundamentals to help you determine if now's a good time for you to invest.

Technical analysis

View BAE Systems's price performance, share price volatility, historical data and technicals.

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Invest in BAE Systems shares

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Frequently asked questions

• Does BAE Systems pay dividends?

  • Dividend yield
  • Forward yield
  • Payout ratio

  Dividend yield: 1.85% of stock value

  Forward annual dividend yield: 1.85% of stock value

  Dividend payout ratio: 50.15% of net profits

  BAE Systems has recently paid out dividends equivalent to 1.85% of its share value annually.

  BAE Systems has paid out, on average, around 50.15% of recent net profits as dividends. That has enabled analysts to estimate a "forward annual dividend yield" of 1.85% 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 1.85% return on their shares, in the form of dividend payments. In BAE Systems's case, that would currently equate to about 33 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.

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

  • Airbus Group (EADSY.US): 1.29% (1.29% forward annual dividend yield)
  • General Dynamics Corporation (GD.US): 2.21% (2.21% forward annual dividend yield)
  • The Boeing Company (BA.US): (does not pay dividend)

• When does the fiscal year end for BAE Systems?

  BAE Systems's fiscal year ends in December.

• Where is BAE Systems based?

  BAE Systems's address is: Victory Point, Camberley, United Kingdom, GU16 7EX

• Have BAE Systems's shares ever split?

  BAE Systems's shares were split on a 4:1 basis on 4 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.

• How to sell BAE Systems shares

  It's as easy to sell BAE Systems as it is to buy! Here's how to sell BAE Systems shares that you already own.

  1. Open your investment app. If you've got one with desktop access, you can log in online
  2. Go to your portfolio. This should be in the main menu
  3. Find your shares. You may be able to search your portfolio
  4. Choose how many you'd like to sell. You'll be able to review the price and see how much you'll receive
  5. Sell your BAE Systems shares. Your investment platform will let you know when your shares are sold

• Can you buy BAE Systems shares with a debit card?

  Most dealing providers will let you use your debit card to top up your account and buy shares. The main ways are with a debit card, bank transfer or with Apple/Google Pay.

• What's the easiest way to buy BAE Systems shares?

  The easiest way to get hold of some BAE Systems shares is to sign up for a share trading app and place a market order or basic order. This type of order tells the platform that you're interested, so it'll try to execute it as quickly as it can. It could take some time for the order to go through, especially if there's a lot of volatility in BAE Systems shares.

• Do you need to complete a W8-BEN form if you want to invest in BAE Systems

  If you're investing in a US stock, you'll need to complete a W8-BEN form to minimise your tax liability. Whether these are automatically handled for you depends on your broker, so it would be a good idea to check with them directly.

• What is the key financial information for BAE Systems?

  BAE Systems financials

  Revenue TTM	£26.3 billion
  Operating margin TTM	8.72%
  Gross profit TTM	£3.4 billion
  Return on assets TTM	4.4%
  Return on equity TTM	18.14%
  Profit margin	7.43%
  Book value	3.87p
  Market capitalisation more info button	£52.2 billion
  EBITDA more info button	£3.3 billion

  TTM: trailing 12 months

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