BP PLC's stock price fell by 3.00%, hitting a 20-day low, as the company navigates significant leadership changes and market dynamics.
This decline is attributed to sector rotation, as BP's leadership transition to Meg O'Neill from Woodside Energy raises concerns about the company's strategic direction amidst a backdrop of broader market strength, with the Nasdaq-100 up 1.71% and the S&P 500 up 0.96%. The market's positive performance contrasts with BP's struggles, including ongoing strategic drift and investor uncertainty following recent geopolitical events.
The implications of this leadership change could be profound, as O'Neill's background in fossil fuels may signal a renewed focus on traditional energy sources, potentially impacting BP's long-term strategy and investor confidence.
Wall Street analysts forecast BP stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for BP is 84.26 USD with a low forecast of 6.38 USD and a high forecast of 503.69 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
11 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast BP stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for BP is 84.26 USD with a low forecast of 6.38 USD and a high forecast of 503.69 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
5 Buy
5 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 37.700
Low
6.38
Averages
84.26
High
503.69
Current: 37.700
Low
6.38
Averages
84.26
High
503.69
Scotiabank
Outperform -> NULL
downgrade
$43 -> $41
2026-01-16
Reason
Scotiabank
Price Target
$43 -> $41
AI Analysis
2026-01-16
downgrade
Outperform -> NULL
Reason
Scotiabank lowered the firm's price target on BP to $41 from $43 and keeps an Outperform rating on the shares. The firm is updating its price targets for U.S. Integrated Oil, Refining, and Large Cap Exploration & Production, E&P, stocks under its coverage, the analyst tells investors. Scotiabank expects earnings for the quarter to be straightforward due to the absence of major winter weather disruptions. Additionally, looking ahead, the firm expects investors to focus on whether recent market turmoil will cause changes to 2026 guidance and if any E&P companies will adopt cost reduction programs.
Piper Sandler
Neutral
downgrade
$44 -> $43
2026-01-08
Reason
Piper Sandler
Price Target
$44 -> $43
2026-01-08
downgrade
Neutral
Reason
Piper Sandler lowered the firm's price target on BP to $43 from $44 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm says that entering 2026, while the chairs have shuffled around a bit, the song remains similar to twelve months ago - a bearish crude outlook that is likely to make it difficult for the sector to outperform the broader market. On the flip side, Piper sees the refining market as even better than 2025, driven by what its expects to be incrementally tighter S/D and crude differential tailwinds.
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Jefferies
Hold
maintain
2026-01-07
Reason
Jefferies
Price Target
2026-01-07
maintain
Hold
Reason
Jefferies raised the firm's price target on BP to 440 GBp from 420 GBp and keeps a Hold rating on the shares. The firm said it is maintaining its Hold view ahead of the company's new CEO starting and including balance sheet gearing analysis in the view.
Morgan Stanley
Equal Weight
downgrade
2026-01-06
Reason
Morgan Stanley
Price Target
2026-01-06
downgrade
Equal Weight
Reason
Morgan Stanley lowered the firm's price target on BP to 415 GBp from 456 GBp and keeps an Equal Weight rating on the shares.
About BP
BP p.l.c. is a United Kingdom-based integrated energy company. The Company's segments include Gas & low carbon energy, Oil production & operations, Customers & products, and Other businesses & corporate. Its gas business includes regions with upstream activities that produce natural gas, integrated gas and power, and gas trading. Its low carbon business includes solar, offshore and onshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage and power trading. Oil production & operations segment comprises regions with upstream activities that predominantly produce crude oil, including bpx energy. Customers & products segment comprises its customer-focused businesses, which include convenience and retail fuels, electric vehicle charging, as well as Castrol, aviation and business to business and midstream. It also includes its products businesses, refining and oil trading, as well as its bioenergy businesses. Other businesses & corporate segment comprises technology and bp ventures.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
