BP’s (BP) Buy Rating Reiterated at Jefferies Financial Group

Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed their buy rating on shares of BP (LON:BP) in a research note released on Monday, Marketbeat.com reports. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a GBX 540 ($6.85) price objective on the oil and gas exploration company’s stock.

Several other research firms have also issued reports on BP. Berenberg Bank reduced their price target on BP from GBX 470 ($5.96) to GBX 440 ($5.58) and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an “underweight” rating on shares of BP in a research report on Tuesday, September 24th. Finally, Bank of America reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 500 ($6.34) price objective on shares of BP in a report on Wednesday, September 4th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of GBX 605 ($7.68).

BP Price Performance

BP opened at GBX 385.10 ($4.89) on Monday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is GBX 390.05 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 423.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 79.91, a current ratio of 1.24 and a quick ratio of 0.62. BP has a 1 year low of GBX 379.70 ($4.82) and a 1 year high of GBX 562.30 ($7.13). The firm has a market cap of £61.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,199.85, a PEG ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 0.49.

BP Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 20th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 7th will be issued a $0.08 dividend. This represents a yield of 1.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 7th. BP’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 6,969.70%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Murray Auchincloss bought 100 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 11th. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 373 ($4.73) per share, for a total transaction of £373 ($473.23). In the last 90 days, insiders acquired 200 shares of company stock worth $76,760. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About BP

BP 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.