BP (NYSE:BP) Shares Gap Down – What’s Next?

BP p.l.c. (NYSE:BP)’s stock price gapped down prior to trading on Friday . The stock had previously closed at $47.63, but opened at $44.60. BP shares last traded at $43.8350, with a volume of 3,100,920 shares trading hands.

Trending Headlines about BP

Here are the key news stories impacting BP this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BP told investors it expects “exceptional” oil trading results for Q1 as market volatility and a sharp rise in crude prices boosted trading income — a near-term earnings tailwind. BP Expects ‘Exceptional’ Oil Trading Results for Q1
• Positive Sentiment: UBS upgraded BP to “buy” and raised its price target (to 700p), citing the new CEO’s opportunity to improve returns — this can support sentiment and attract investor interest. Investment bank upgrades BP with 700p price target as new CEO takes helm
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst write-ups and sector pieces are highlighting BP among integrated energy beneficiaries of high crude prices and disciplined capital allocation, reinforcing positive narrative around cash generation. High Crude Oil Prices: 3 Integrated Energy Stocks to Bet on Right Away
• Neutral Sentiment: BP is a trending stock in retail/analyst traffic; attention alone can boost volatility but doesn’t guarantee direction. Monitor volume and flows. BP p.l.c. (BP) Is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks and other analyst notes reiterate sector themes and provide earnings estimates — useful for modeling but not immediate catalysts. What is Zacks Research’s Estimate for BP Q4 Earnings?
• Negative Sentiment: Legal risk: Kenyan courts have allowed a lawsuit against BP alleging toxic-waste contamination from 1980s exploration that the plaintiffs say caused hundreds of deaths — the case advances in Kenya and creates reputational and litigation risk that could weigh on the stock. BP sued in Kenya over alleged toxic waste from 1980s oil exploration
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage summary: Seeking Alpha also reports the lawsuit alleging more than 500 deaths tied to alleged toxic waste — this additional media focus may amplify investor concern and headline-driven selling. BP sued over 500 deaths in Kenya

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on BP. Wall Street Zen raised BP from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 14th. Argus raised BP to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Melius Research downgraded BP from a “buy” rating to a “sell” rating and set a $31.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Evercore set a $38.00 target price on BP and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their target price on BP from $37.00 to $35.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, BP presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $42.98.

BP Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $116.95 billion, a P/E ratio of -4,457.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 0.21. The business has a 50-day moving average of $42.35 and a 200 day moving average of $37.79. The company has a current ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74.

BP (NYSE:BP) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.60 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.03. BP had a return on equity of 9.68% and a net margin of 0.03%.The business had revenue of $47.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $42.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.44 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that BP p.l.c. will post 3.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

BP Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 20th were issued a dividend of $0.4992 per share. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 20th. BP’s payout ratio is currently -19,700.00%.

Institutional Trading of BP

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Strategic Advocates LLC bought a new stake in BP during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Heartwood Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in BP during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. YANKCOM Partnership increased its holdings in BP by 1,068.3% during the 4th quarter. YANKCOM Partnership now owns 958 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 876 shares in the last quarter. Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in BP during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $43,000. Finally, LRI Investments LLC increased its holdings in BP by 76.2% during the 4th quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 1,276 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 552 shares in the last quarter. 11.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

BP Company Profile

BP plc is a British multinational integrated energy company headquartered in London. Originating in the early 20th century as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, BP has grown into one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, operating across exploration and production, refining and marketing, trading, and a range of low-carbon businesses.

The company’s core activities include upstream exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas, midstream and trading operations, and downstream refining, marketing and supply of fuels, lubricants and petrochemicals.