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BP PLC (GB:BP.B)
LSE:BP.B
UK Market

BP plc (BP.B) AI Stock Analysis

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GB:BP.B

BP plc

(LSE:BP.B)

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Neutral 45 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:45Neutral
Price Target:
158.00 p
▼(-6.51% Downside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:03/12/26
The score is driven down primarily by fragile recent profitability (near break-even net margin) and higher leverage despite solid cash generation. Technicals also detract due to oversold readings and negative momentum, and valuation is a major headwind given the extremely high P/E even with a strong dividend yield.
Positive Factors
Cash generation
BP's sizable operating cash flow and double-digit free cash flow in 2025 provide durable internal funding for dividends, maintenance capex, and transition investments. Consistent FCF at this scale helps absorb cyclical earnings swings and supports strategic optionality over months to years.
Integrated, diversified business model
BP's integrated footprint across production, trading, refining, retail and growing low‑carbon activities gives structural resilience. Diverse cash drivers and margin pools reduce single‑point commodity exposure, enabling the company to reallocate capital across segments during prolonged market swings.
Revenue rebound and positive operating margins
The 2025 revenue recovery and positive gross/EBITDA margins reflect operating scale and margin capture in refining/trading and commercial businesses. Sustained top-line recovery supports cash flow generation and underpins medium‑term operating leverage even if net profit remains pressured.
Negative Factors
Profitability deterioration
A collapse to near‑zero net margin signals fragile underlying earnings and reduced ability to absorb shocks. Persistently low net profitability undermines ROE and long‑term retained earnings, constraining organic growth and increasing reliance on non‑operating moves to sustain payouts.
Rising leverage and weaker equity buffer
Higher debt and a materially smaller equity base reduce financial flexibility. Elevated leverage increases fixed financing costs and limits ability to fund large capex or acquisitions without raising cost of capital or diluting shareholders, raising medium‑term balance sheet risk.
Mixed cash conversion
Weak conversion metrics indicate earnings are not fully matched by cash receipts, creating vulnerability when earnings are volatile. This can pressure liquidity when commodity cycles turn, complicate reliable dividend funding, and increase the need for asset sales or external financing over time.

BP plc (BP.B) vs. iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWC)

BP plc Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionBP p.l.c. provides carbon products and services. The company operates through Gas & Low Carbon Energy, Oil Production & Operations, and Customers & Products segments. It engages in the production of natural gas, and integrated gas and power; trading of gas; operation of onshore and offshore wind power, as well as hydrogen and carbon capture and storage facilities; trading and marketing of renewable and non-renewable power; and production of crude oil. In addition, the company involved in convenience and retail fuel, EV charging, Castrol lubricant, aviation, B2B, and midstream businesses; refining and oil trading; and bioenergy business. Further, it engages in power and storage, digital transformation, carbon management, and bio and low carbon related products, as well as energy and environmental commodities and mobility businesses. The company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
How the Company Makes MoneyBP makes money primarily by producing, trading, refining, and selling hydrocarbons and related products, alongside earnings from its retail and low-carbon activities. Major revenue and earnings streams include: (1) Upstream (oil and gas production): BP sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids produced from its fields. Revenue depends on production volumes and realized commodity prices (linked to benchmarks for oil and gas), while profitability is influenced by lifting costs, royalties/taxes, and depreciation and exploration costs. (2) Gas & low carbon energy / gas marketing and trading: BP markets and trades natural gas and LNG, earning margins from optimizing supply sources, shipping/regasification access, and timing/price differentials across regions and contracts. Trading can contribute materially to results through realized margins and market optimization, with performance influenced by volatility and risk management. (3) Refining and product marketing: BP refines crude oil into petroleum products (e.g., gasoline, diesel, jet fuel) and sells them wholesale and through branded channels. Earnings are driven by refining margins (the spread between refined product prices and crude/feedstock costs), refinery utilization, and operational reliability. (4) Customer & products (downstream retail and convenience): BP sells transportation fuels through retail sites (including branded dealers) and earns margins per unit sold; it also earns non-fuel income from convenience retail and associated services. BP also sells lubricants and other specialty products, typically earning branded/product margins. (5) Low-carbon and power-related activities: BP generates revenue and earnings from activities such as renewable power generation, power trading/marketing, and other transition-related businesses where applicable; returns depend on project performance, contracted offtake, power prices, and development/execution. Across these streams, BP’s consolidated results are significantly affected by global commodity prices (oil, gas, refined products), refining and trading margins, volumes, currency movements, and portfolio actions such as asset sales/acquisitions and joint ventures where BP recognizes its share of earnings.

BP plc Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 04, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Apr 28, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call reflected a generally positive sentiment with BP showing strong operational and financial performance, increased production, successful exploration, and strategic progress in divestments. However, challenges like weaker trading performance and unresolved arbitration cases were noted.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Operational and Financial Performance
BP reported underlying pretax earnings of $5.3 billion and underlying net income of $2.2 billion for the third quarter. Operating cash flow was $7.8 billion, supporting a growth target for adjusted free cash flow growth of 20% CAGR from 2025 to 2027.
Upstream Production and Reliability
Upstream production increased by around 3% quarter-on-quarter with upstream plant reliability at around 97%, leading to upgraded full-year production guidance.
Record Performance in Downstream
Underlying earnings in the first 9 months were around 40% higher than the same period in 2024. The company delivered its highest 3Q on record in the customers segment.
Exploration Success
BP has had 12 exploration discoveries in 2025, including Bumerangue in Brazil. The company plans to drill an appraisal well and perform a flow test on Bumerangue by the end of next year.
Progress on Strategic Divestments
BP is making good progress on its $20 billion divestment proceeds target, upgrading its proceeds guidance to around $5 billion.
AI and Technological Advancements
BP is making significant progress in AI deployment with examples such as kit detection and well planning improvements, leading to higher production and efficiency.
Negative Updates
Weak Trading Performance
BP reported weaker trading performance in the third quarter although trading was in line with the previous year for the first nine months.
Venture Global Arbitration
BP won an LNG arbitration case but the damages phase is still being organized, with no specific timeline or confirmed amount disclosed.
Company Guidance
During BP's Third Quarter 2025 Results Call, Murray Auchincloss highlighted the company's strong operational performance and strategic progress. BP reported underlying pretax earnings of $5.3 billion and underlying net income of $2.2 billion, with operating cash flow reaching $7.8 billion for the quarter. This positions BP well on track to achieve its adjusted free cash flow growth target of 20% CAGR from 2025 to 2027. Upstream production increased by about 3% quarter-on-quarter, supported by plant reliability of around 97%, and refining availability also reached nearly 97%, marking the best quarter in 20 years. The company has started six new major oil and gas projects in 2025, four of which were ahead of schedule, and has made 12 exploration discoveries this year. BP is making progress towards its $20 billion divestment proceeds target, having upgraded its proceeds guidance to around $5 billion. The company remains disciplined in capital investment, with organic CapEx expected to stay below $14 billion, and is focused on reducing costs, growing cash flow and returns, and strengthening the balance sheet to enhance shareholder value.

BP plc Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Financials are mixed: revenue rebounded strongly in 2025, and cash flow is relatively solid (positive operating cash flow and free cash flow). However, profitability has deteriorated materially with net margin near break-even in 2025 and high historical margin volatility, while leverage has increased (higher debt-to-equity) and equity has declined.
Income Statement
46
Neutral
Revenue rebounded strongly in 2025 (annual revenue growth of 0.887) after declines in 2023–2024, but profitability has weakened materially versus 2023. Net profit margin fell to near break-even in 2025 (0.00029) from a strong 2023 level (0.073), and margins have been volatile (including a loss in 2022 and a severe downturn in 2020). While gross and EBITDA margins in 2025 (0.177 and 0.164) are positive, the sharp compression in net income suggests earnings are currently fragile for the scale of the business.
Balance Sheet
52
Neutral
Leverage has risen: debt-to-equity increased to 1.37 in 2025 from 0.90 in 2023, indicating a heavier reliance on debt. Equity also declined from 70.3B (2023) to 53.1B (2025), reducing balance-sheet cushion. Total assets are broadly stable (~278.5B in 2025), but returns on equity have fallen sharply from 2023’s strong level (0.217) to very low in 2024 (0.006), consistent with the earnings slowdown.
Cash Flow
63
Positive
Cash generation remains a relative strength: operating cash flow stayed solid at 24.5B in 2025 and free cash flow was 11.3B, with strong free cash flow growth in 2025 (5.632) following a decline in 2024. However, cash conversion vs. accounting earnings looks mixed: free cash flow is modest relative to net income in the data provided (free cash flow to net income of 0.46 in 2025), and operating cash flow coverage is consistently below 1 (0.304 in 2025), pointing to periods where cash flow does not fully cover the referenced obligation/earnings measure.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue189.34B189.19B208.35B241.39B157.74B
Gross Profit33.53B30.24B64.06B55.10B22.86B
EBITDA31.07B27.98B43.50B59.47B32.55B
Net Income55.00M381.00M15.24B-1.36B7.57B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets278.53B282.23B280.29B288.12B287.27B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments36.71B34.52B28.59B29.77B30.96B
Total Debt72.53B71.55B63.08B55.49B69.79B
Total Liabilities204.53B203.91B194.80B205.13B196.83B
Stockholders Equity53.05B59.25B70.28B67.55B75.46B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow11.27B12.00B17.75B28.86B12.72B
Operating Cash Flow24.49B27.30B32.04B40.93B23.61B
Investing Cash Flow-11.50B-13.25B-14.87B-13.71B-5.69B
Financing Cash Flow-15.88B-7.30B-13.36B-28.02B-18.08B

BP plc Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price169.00
Price Trends
50DMA
164.06
Negative
100DMA
162.06
Positive
200DMA
161.75
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.11
Positive
RSI
26.93
Positive
STOCH
20.83
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For GB:BP.B, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 169 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 164.45, above the 50-day MA of 164.06, and above the 200-day MA of 161.75, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.11 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 26.93 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 20.83 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for GB:BP.B.

BP plc Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (65)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
73
Outperform
£182.70B11.928.25%4.00%-9.21%-2.61%
73
Outperform
£1.57B5.300.18%10.99%-2.66%0.11%
70
Outperform
£2.64B13.868.95%5.64%159.13%143.76%
69
Neutral
£4.92B-24.34-11.32%8.77%123.03%-330.89%
65
Neutral
$15.17B7.614.09%5.20%3.87%-62.32%
54
Neutral
£4.03B11.13-4.67%14.05%63.10%-161.03%
45
Neutral
£79.00B634.905.42%
* Energy Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
GB:BP.B
BP plc
162.50
14.63
9.89%
GB:HBR
Harbour Energy
270.20
103.37
61.96%
GB:SHEL
Shell (UK)
3,244.00
741.41
29.63%
GB:SEPL
SEPLAT Petroleum Development
440.50
276.63
168.80%
GB:ENOG
Energean
854.50
5.27
0.62%
GB:ITH
Ithaca Energy PLC
243.50
126.77
108.59%
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Mar 12, 2026