The 'best' investment right now: Fund manager picks stocks with almost 15% total returns

Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst

BP+3.1%

SHEL+1.84%

VINP+0.23%

Source: CNBC

Updated: Feb 26 2024

0mins

Source: CNBC

$36.53+Infinity%1D

Analyst Views on BP

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

5 Buy

5 Hold

1 Sell

Moderate Buy

Current: 35.430

Low

6.38

Averages

84.26

High

503.69

Current: 35.430

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. Its segments include Gas & low carbon energy, Oil production & operations, Customers & products, and Other businesses & corporate. The gas & low carbon energy comprises regions with upstream businesses that predominantly produce natural gas, gas marketing and trading activities and its solar, wind and hydrogen businesses. The oil production & operations segment comprises regions with upstream activities that predominantly produce crude oil, including bpx energy. The customers & products segment comprises its customer-focused businesses, which include convenience and retail fuels, electric vehicle (EV) charging, as well as Castrol, aviation and business-to-business (B2B) and midstream. It also includes its products businesses, refining and oil trading, as well as its bioenergy businesses. The other businesses and corporate also comprises the Company's shipping and treasury functions, and corporate activities worldwide.

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.