Before markets open on Tuesday morning, BP PLC (NYSE: BP) is scheduled to release third-quarter results. The consensus estimates for the oil and gas giant call for earnings per American depositary share (ADS) of around $0.64 on revenues of $46.76 billion. In the third quarter of 2014, the company posted $0.99 per ADS on revenues of $94.77 billion. One ADS is equal to six ordinary shares.
In the second quarter of this year, BP posted earnings per ADS of $0.43, and the company’s measure of net income came in at $494 million, compared with $4.655 billion in the second quarter of 2014. Profit in the third quarter of last year totaled $3.04 billion on an averaged realized price per barrel of $91.42. In the second quarter of this year, the average realized price was $56.69 per barrel, and the third-quarter price is almost certain to be lower than that.
What investors will pay closest attention to is BP’s dividend payout. At $0.60 per ADS, the dividend yield is 6.72%, and BP basically has committed to keeping the dividend steady. Any downward change in the dividend will have a nasty effect on the share price.
The two most recent analyst ratings have either reiterated or initiated coverage with an Outperform rating. The overhang on the share price due to the Macondo well explosion in 2010 is virtually all behind the company now, and that reduces uncertainty for investors. So even though the $18 or so billion settlement is huge, we now know that it won’t get worse.
BP traded down about 1% at $35.40 in Monday afternoon. The 52-week range is $29.35 to $43.85, and the consensus price target is $36.93.
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