BP (NYSE:BP) Shares Gap Down – Here’s Why

Shares of BP p.l.c. (NYSE:BP) 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 traded.

Key BP News

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on BP. Wall Street Zen upgraded BP from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 14th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of BP in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Argus upgraded BP to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Zacks Research upgraded BP from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 30th. Finally, Melius Research cut BP from a “buy” rating to a “sell” rating and set a $31.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $42.98.

BP Stock Down 6.3%

The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $42.46 and a 200-day simple moving average of $37.88. The firm has a market cap of $116.96 billion, a PE ratio of -4,456.14, a PEG ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 0.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.26 and a quick ratio of 0.98.

BP (NYSE:BP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.60 earnings per share 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $42.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.44 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that BP p.l.c. will post 3.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

BP Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Investors of record on Friday, February 20th were issued a $0.4992 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 20th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.5%. BP’s payout ratio is presently -19,800.00%.

Institutional Trading of BP

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new stake in BP during the third quarter valued at about $1,352,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its holdings in BP by 22.1% during the third quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 127,792 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock valued at $4,553,000 after purchasing an additional 23,166 shares during the period. United Community Bank grew its holdings in BP by 173.8% during the third quarter. United Community Bank now owns 29,086 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock valued at $1,002,000 after purchasing an additional 18,463 shares during the period. Legacy Financial Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in BP during the third quarter valued at about $793,000. Finally, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. grew its holdings in BP by 7.2% during the third quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 71,611 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock valued at $2,468,000 after purchasing an additional 4,789 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 11.01% of the company’s stock.

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.