BP (NYSE:BP) Raised to Strong-Buy at BNP Paribas Exane

Key Points

• BNP Paribas Exane upgraded BP from "hold" to strong-buy; overall analyst sentiment is a Moderate Buy with a consensus price target of $42.98 (analyst mix: 5 Strong Buy, 7 Buy, 8 Hold, 3 Sell).
• BP flagged exceptional Q1 trading gains tied to Middle East-driven price volatility and reported a quarterly revenue and EPS beat (revenue $47.38B; EPS $0.60 vs. $0.57), yet shares opened down about 6.3% at $44.61.
• A Kenyan court has allowed a lawsuit over alleged toxic-waste from 1980s exploration to proceed — including claims of more than 500 deaths — creating potential material liabilities and reputational risk for BP.

BP (NYSE:BP - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at BNP Paribas Exane from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report issued on Friday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley raised BP from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $49.40 target price on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on BP from $37.00 to $35.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on BP from $44.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Weiss Ratings raised BP from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on BP from $39.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given 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 has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $42.98.

BP Trading Down 6.3%

Shares of BP stock opened at $44.61 on Friday. BP has a 12-month low of $27.20 and a 12-month high of $48.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $42.46 and its 200-day moving average price is $37.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $116.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4,456.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 0.21.

BP (NYSE:BP - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.03. BP had a return on equity of 9.68% and a net margin of 0.03%.The firm had revenue of $47.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $42.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.44 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that BP will post 3.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On BP

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sound Shore Management Inc. CT bought a new stake in BP during the 4th quarter valued at $67,890,000. New York State Common Retirement Fund purchased a new stake in BP during the fourth quarter worth $17,768,000. Sagefield Capital LP lifted its holdings in BP by 125.2% during the fourth quarter. Sagefield Capital LP now owns 493,556 shares of the oil and gas exploration company's stock worth $17,141,000 after buying an additional 274,381 shares during the period. Gabelli Funds LLC increased its position in shares of BP by 6.0% in the 4th quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 392,400 shares of the oil and gas exploration company's stock valued at $13,628,000 after acquiring an additional 22,100 shares during the period. Finally, Altrius Capital Management Inc increased its position in shares of BP by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Altrius Capital Management Inc now owns 278,305 shares of the oil and gas exploration company's stock valued at $9,590,000 after acquiring an additional 1,669 shares during the period. 11.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting BP

Here are the key news stories impacting BP this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BP flagged "exceptional" oil trading results for Q1 2026, citing heightened price volatility and dislocations between marker and realized prices tied to Middle East conflict — trading gains BP says are separate from production guidance. This suggests a near-term cash/earnings boost that can support the share price. BP Flags Exceptional Q1 2026 Trading As Valuation Questions Linger
• Positive Sentiment: UBS upgraded BP from Neutral to Buy and raised its price target to 700p, citing leadership change (new CEO Meg O'Neill) and an opportunity to improve returns — a credible bank upgrade that can attract investors and support upside momentum. Investment bank upgrades BP with 700p price target as new CEO takes helm
• Positive Sentiment: Industry commentary and roundup pieces (Zacks) continue to spotlight BP among energy stocks benefiting from geopolitics, capital discipline and tight supply — a supportive thematic backdrop for flow into majors. 4 Energy Stocks to Buy as Geopolitics Reshapes Global Markets
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks and other outlets note BP is a "trending" stock and publish earnings-estimate pieces; useful for retail interest but not new fundamental catalysts. BP p.l.c. (BP) Is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst-blog coverage (Zacks/others) highlights sector tailwinds for integrated majors — supportive context but not company-specific new data. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Exxon Mobil, Chevron and BP
• Negative Sentiment: Kenyan courts have allowed a lawsuit against BP over alleged toxic waste from 1980s exploration to proceed — a legal development that creates reputational risk and potential material liabilities if damages are pursued or broader claims emerge. BP sued in Kenya over alleged toxic waste from 1980s oil exploration
• Negative Sentiment: A separate report frames the Kenyan case as alleging more than 500 deaths tied to toxic waste — if damages and punitive claims escalate, this could weigh on investor sentiment and valuation. BP sued over 500 deaths in Kenya

About BP

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.

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