LSE$BP

BP · Q1 2026 earnings

Q1 2026 earnings · · Before market open · Investor relations

Briefing

BP Q1 2026: $3.8B profit, $3.2B underlying RC profit as trading and refining drive beat

BP reported a strong first quarter 2026, with profit attributable to shareholders of $3.8 billion versus $687 million a year earlier, boosted by $4.2 billion of pre-tax inventory holding gains. Underlying replacement cost profit was $3.2 billion, up from $1.4 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting exceptional oil trading, stronger refining margins, and improved midstream performance in customers & products. Operating cash flow was $2.9 billion while capital expenditure was $3.3 billion. Net debt rose to $25.3 billion from $22.2 billion at year-end 2025. BP declared a dividend of 8.320 cents per ordinary share and reaffirmed 2026 capex guidance of $13–13.5 billion and a net debt target of $14–18 billion by end-2027.

  • Reported profit attributable to shareholders was $3.8B in Q1 2026 vs $687M in Q1 2025; underlying RC profit was $3.2B vs $1.4B prior year.
  • Customers & products underlying RC profit before interest and tax reached $3.2B, driven by exceptional oil trading and higher refining margins including Whiting recovery.
  • Operating cash flow was $2.9B; capex $3.3B; net debt increased to $25.3B; quarterly dividend set at 8.320 cents per ordinary share.
  • Upstream production averaged 2,339 mboe/d, up from 2,239 mboe/d in Q1 2025; 2026 capex budget reaffirmed at $13–13.5B.
  • Q2 outlook flags lower upstream production on seasonal maintenance and Middle East disruption; hybrid bond redemption of €2.5B planned in Q2.

Headline financials

EPS (adj)

$1.24

Previous: $0.52+138.5%
Underlying RC profit

$3.2B

No prior period
Operating cash flow

$2.86B

No prior period
Net debt

$25.3B

No prior period
Capital expenditure

$3.29B

No prior period
Upstream production (mboe/d)

2.3K

No prior period
Dividend per ordinary share (cents converted)

$0.08

No prior period
Net Income

$3.84B

Previous: $2.3B+67.0%

Revenue & EPS history

BP · Revenue · Quarterly

$48.4B

Q3 2025+33.2%vs Q3 2024
Beat estimate in 9 of 13 quarters(69%)
ActualEstimate

Forward guidance

BP reaffirmed 2026 capex of $13–13.5B, divestment proceeds of $9–10B (Castrol ~$6B in H2), net debt target of $14–18B by end-2027, and underlying ETR around 40%. Q2 upstream production expected lower on maintenance and Middle East disruption.

Tailwinds

  • Resilient dividend policy targeting at least 4% annual per-share growth
  • Plans to reduce perpetual hybrid bonds to ~$9B strengthening balance sheet

Headwinds

  • Q2 upstream production guided lower on Gulf of America maintenance and Middle East volatility
  • Refining throughput to face higher turnaround activity in Q2

Historical earnings impact

How earnings announcements have historically affected this stock's price.

Avg. return before/after earnings

Based on 19 quarterly earnings reports · overlaid with Q1 2026

Historical avgQ1 2026

+0.7%

Avg return

Earnings day

+0.4%

Avg return

5 days after

+0.9%

Avg return

30 days after

62%

38 / 61 earnings

Positive

+10.9%

Q4 2022

Best reaction

-8.9%

Q1 2023

Worst reaction

Earnings price reactions
QuarterReport dateReaction (Day 0)+5 days+30 days
Q1 2026+0.6%+1.0%
Q3 2025+1.6%+4.9%+6.8%
Q1 2025-0.7%+4.0%+3.7%
Q3 2024-6.5%-5.9%-6.2%
Q1 2024-3.9%-3.1%-9.2%
Q4 2023+5.6%+4.1%+7.7%
Q3 2023-5.9%-5.6%-5.4%
Q2 2023-3.4%-1.3%-0.3%
Q1 2023-8.9%-7.2%-13.2%
Q4 2022+10.9%+16.7%+12.9%
Q3 2022-1.6%+1.9%+7.3%
Q2 2022+2.2%+2.1%+5.3%
Q1 2022+10.4%+10.4%+13.7%
Q4 2021-1.0%-0.3%-12.9%
Q3 2021-6.9%-4.9%-7.6%
Q2 2021+4.1%+6.1%+3.2%
Q1 2021+2.9%+1.0%+5.5%
Q4 2020-4.2%-6.3%+17.2%
Q3 2020-5.7%-2.0%+35.5%
Q2 2020+8.4%+4.0%-6.7%
Q1 2020+4.6%-6.1%-4.3%
Q4 2019+6.9%+3.2%-7.5%
Q3 2019-2.0%-1.4%-3.8%
Q2 2019+1.7%-1.6%-5.5%
Q1 2019+0.1%+0.1%-4.6%
Q4 2018+4.0%+2.7%+3.0%
Q3 2018+5.7%+1.4%-1.3%
Q2 2018+0.3%-1.0%-1.9%
Q1 2018+0.2%+1.7%+2.8%
Q4 2017+0.6%-1.7%-0.8%
Q3 2017+2.9%+2.4%+1.1%
Q2 2017+3.6%+3.4%-1.2%
Q1 2017+1.1%+2.9%+5.6%
Q4 2016-3.9%-3.6%-6.5%
Q3 2016-4.3%-5.7%-0.5%
Q2 2016-0.9%-1.4%-1.9%
Q1 2016+6.4%
Q4 2015-6.4%
Q3 2015+2.0%
Q2 2015+3.7%
Q1 2015+1.3%
Q4 2014+1.5%
Q3 2014-1.9%
Q2 2014+0.8%
Q1 2014+0.1%
Q4 2013-0.2%
Q3 2013-2.2%
Q2 2013-0.2%
Q1 2013-0.8%
Q4 2012+2.9%
Q3 2012-0.3%
Q2 2012+0.4%
Q1 2012+0.8%
Q4 2011+3.3%
Q3 2011-4.8%
Q2 2011+2.6%
Q1 2011+2.4%
Q4 2010+2.9%
Q3 2010+4.9%
Q1 2010+1.6%
Q2 2010+6.2%

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