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BP (LSE: BP) shares look to me like one of the more compelling dividend income opportunities in the FTSE 100.
With high cash generation and strong forecast earnings growth, future dividend yields may be much higher than many investors assume.
So what sort of dividend income could the company deliver, and what will drive it?
Earnings and cash‑flow drivers
BP’s recent Q4 and full-year 2025 results showed annual operating cash flow at $24.5bn (£17.9bn), despite softer commodity prices. This was supported by record operational performance: upstream plant reliability hit 96.1% and refining availability reached 96.3%. These measures matter because high reliability directly lifts volumes and margins, which in turn support dividend cover and long-term growth.
Annual underlying replacement‑cost profit — BP’s key profit marker — was $7.5bn. This was despite liquids prices falling from $53.96 per barrel of oil equivalent (/boe) in 2024 to $49.45/boe in 2025.
Production volumes were broadly stable, helped by seven major project start-ups, giving BP a credible base for future cash generation.
Balance‑sheet strengthening
BP is also reshaping its portfolio to improve long-term cash efficiency. It has completed or announced over $11bn of divestments, including the sale of 65% of Castrol — expected to generate around $6bn. Structural cost‑reduction targets have been raised to $5.5bn-$6.5bn by 2027, which directly improves free cash flow and dividend sustainability.
Management has temporarily paused buybacks to prioritise boosting its balance sheet. As a result, although net debt is expected to rise over H1 this year, it is forecast to fall in H2. This shift will channel more cash into strengthening the financial base that ultimately supports future distributions.
A broader-based risk is for a prolonged period of bearish oil and gas pricing. Even so, the consensus of analysts is that BP’s earnings will grow an average of 21.2% a year to end-2028.
Dividend income potential
BP has been steadily increasing its dividend from 2020’s 22 cents to 32.96 cents in 2025. The latest full-year payout marked a 5.4% increase over 2024’s 31.27 cents.
Based on current exchange rates, this should give a dividend yield of 5.3%. This already compares very well to the current FTSE 100 average of 3.1%. But the consensus forecast of analysts is that the dividend yield will rise to 5.6% this year, 5.8% next year, and 6% in 2028.
So, investors considering a £5,000 holding in BP could make £4,097 in dividends after 10 years and £25,113after 30 years. This is based on the forecast 6% dividend yield, although this could go down or up over the period.
It also assumes that the dividends are reinvested in the stock to utilise the turbocharging effect of ‘dividend compounding’.
By the end of that time, the holding would be worth £30,113 (including the original £5,000 investment). And this would pay an annual dividend income of £1,807!
My investment view
I already have a holding in BP and, given the recent dip in the share price, am seriously considering adding to it. I think its strong earnings growth forecast should support price gains over the long term.
And with already high cash flow generation and further balance sheet strengthening, I think the foundations for long-term, reliable income look increasingly solid.
