Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Shell plc (SHEL) vs BP p.l.c. (BP) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | BP | 0.3% revenue growth vs SHEL's -5.9% |
| Value | SHEL | Lower P/E (13.4x vs 14.9x) |
| Quality / Margins | SHEL | 6.7% net margin vs BP's 0.0% |
| Stability / Safety | SHEL | Beta 0.64 vs BP's 0.70, lower leverage |
| Dividends | BP | 4.9% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs SHEL's 3.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | SHEL | +28.1% vs BP's +23.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | SHEL | 4.8% ROA vs BP's 0.0%, ROIC 9.9% vs 9.8% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Shell is a global integrated energy company that explores for, produces, refines, and markets oil, natural gas, and petrochemical products. It generates revenue primarily through its upstream oil and gas production (~40% of earnings), integrated gas and LNG operations (~30%), and downstream marketing and chemicals businesses (~30%). The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale, integrated value chain—from production to retail—and leading positions in liquefied natural gas and deepwater exploration.
BP is a global integrated oil and gas company that explores for, produces, refines, and markets petroleum products while increasingly investing in low-carbon energy. It makes money primarily through oil and gas production (~60% of profits), refining and trading, and its global retail fuel and convenience network. The company's scale, integrated operations—from wells to gas stations—and growing low-carbon portfolio provide its competitive advantage in the energy transition.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
SHEL leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). BP leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
SHEL and BP operate at a comparable scale, with $267.5B and $189.2B in trailing revenue. SHEL is the more profitable business, keeping 6.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BP's 0.0%. On growth, BP holds the edge at +3.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | BPBP p.l.c. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $267.5B | $189.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $53.0B | $38.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $17.8B | $60M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $22.7B | $11.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +16.7% | +20.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.5% | +10.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +6.7% | +0.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.5% | +6.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -1.7% | +3.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +3.7% | -78.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 13.9x trailing earnings, SHEL trades at a 99% valuation discount to BP's 1904.9x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, BP's 4.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SHEL's 5.9x.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | BPBP p.l.c. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $235.8B | $99.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $310.1B | $147.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 13.87x | 1904.90x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 13.40x | 14.85x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 5.85x | 4.41x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.88x | 0.52x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.42x | 1.39x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 10.81x | 8.81x |
Profitability & Efficiency
SHEL delivers a 10.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $10 in annual profit, vs $0 for BP. SHEL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.60x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to BP's 1.14x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BP scores 7/9 vs SHEL's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | BPBP p.l.c. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +10.2% | +0.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.8% | +0.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +9.9% | +9.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +10.6% | +7.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.60x | 1.14x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $74.4B | $47.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $30.2B | $36.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $104.6B | $84.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 6.98x | 2.70x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SHEL five years ago would be worth $23,319 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $19,171 for BP. Over the past 12 months, SHEL leads with a +28.1% total return vs BP's +23.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SHEL at 14.7% vs BP's 3.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | BPBP p.l.c. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.7% | +9.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +28.1% | +23.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +51.0% | +12.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +133.2% | +91.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +146.2% | +100.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +14.7% | +3.9% |
Risk & Volatility
SHEL is the less volatile stock with a 0.64 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BP's 0.70 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | BPBP p.l.c. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.64x | 0.70x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $83.67 | $39.51 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $58.55 | $25.22 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.8% | +98.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 60.8 | 52.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.8M | 8.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SHEL as "Buy" and BP as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 2.6% upside for SHEL (target: $86) vs 1.9% for BP (target: $40). For income investors, BP offers the higher dividend yield at 4.92% vs SHEL's 3.42%.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | BPBP p.l.c. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $85.67 | $39.58 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 12 | 43 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.4% | +4.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 4 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.85 | $1.91 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +6.5% | +4.5% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | 100 | 168.93 | +68.9% |
| BP p.l.c. (BP) | 100 | 116.97 | +17.0% |
Shell plc (SHEL) returned +133% over 5 years vs BP p.l.c. (BP)'s +92%. A $10,000 investment in SHEL 5 years ago would be worth $23,319 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | $233.6B | $267.5B | +14.5% |
| BP p.l.c. (BP) | $183.0B | $189.8B | +3.7% |
Shell plc's revenue grew from $233.6B (2016) to $267.5B (2025) — a 1.5% CAGR. BP p.l.c.'s revenue grew from $183.0B (2016) to $189.8B (2025) — a 0.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | 2.0% | 6.7% | +241.3% |
| BP p.l.c. (BP) | 0.1% | 0.0% | -53.8% |
Shell plc's net margin went from 2% (2016) to 7% (2025). BP p.l.c.'s net margin went from 0% (2016) to 0% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | 21.4 | 12.2 | -43.0% |
| BP p.l.c. (BP) | 40.8 | 211.1 | +417.4% |
Shell plc has traded in a 5x–21x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~14x. BP p.l.c. has traded in a 7x–211x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~1905x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | 1.16 | 6.02 | +419.0% |
| BP p.l.c. (BP) | 0.04 | 0.02 | -43.3% |
Shell plc's EPS grew from $1.16 (2016) to $6.02 (2025) — a 20% CAGR. BP p.l.c.'s EPS grew from $0.04 (2016) to $0.02 (2025) — a -6% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Shell plc generated $22B FCF in 2025 (-16% vs 2021). BP p.l.c. generated $11B FCF in 2025 (-11% vs 2021).
SHEL vs BP: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SHEL or BP a better buy right now?
Shell plc (SHEL) offers the better valuation at 13.9x trailing P/E (13.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Shell plc (SHEL) a "Buy" — based on 12 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — SHEL or BP?
On trailing P/E, Shell plc (SHEL) is the cheapest at 13.9x versus BP p.l.c. at 1904.9x. On forward P/E, Shell plc is actually cheaper at 13.4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SHEL or BP?
Over the past 5 years, Shell plc (SHEL) delivered a total return of +133.2%, compared to +91.7% for BP p.l.c. (BP). A $10,000 investment in SHEL five years ago would be worth approximately $23K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SHEL returned +146.2% versus BP's +100.6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — SHEL or BP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Shell plc (SHEL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.64β versus BP p.l.c.'s 0.70β — meaning BP is approximately 9% more volatile than SHEL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Shell plc (SHEL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 60% versus 114% for BP p.l.c. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SHEL or BP?
Shell plc (SHEL) is the more profitable company, earning 6.7% net margin versus 0.0% for BP p.l.c. — meaning it keeps 6.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SHEL leads at 11.5% versus 8.2% for BP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BP leads at 17.4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is SHEL or BP more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Shell plc (SHEL) trades at 13.4x forward P/E versus 14.9x for BP p.l.c. — 1.5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SHEL: 2.6% to $85.67.
07Which pays a better dividend — SHEL or BP?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. BP p.l.c. (BP) offers the highest yield at 4.9%, versus 3.4% for Shell plc (SHEL).
08Is SHEL or BP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Shell plc (SHEL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.64), 3.4% yield, +146.2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SHEL: +146.2%, BP: +100.6%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between SHEL and BP?
Both stocks operate in the Energy sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: SHEL is a large-cap deep-value stock; BP is a mid-cap income-oriented stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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