BP PLC (NYSE: BP) is a Big Oil stock, the second largest in Europe.

Like other oil and natural gas stocks such as ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), the world’s largest, and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A), the biggest in Europe, BP PLC has fallen.  BP is down for the last week, month, quarter, six months, and year of market action (chart below).  For 2014, BP is off by nearly 13 percent.

Much of that has to do with oil stocks being out of favor due to slumping global growth.

ExxonMobil is down.  So is Royal Dutch Shell.  But BP is also in decline due to its legal woes.  Even though the Deep Water Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico was back in April 2010, it still haunts BP stock.  There has been much damage done to the share price, as a result.  But BP can easily finance the legal costs.  It is not a threat to the company.

That is double opportunity for long term investors to load up on BP stock.

Big Oil will be back.  The demand for oil and natural gas will increase when China, India, and other nations pick up in economic growth.  Every major report for the public and private sector projects an increasing need for oil and natural gas in the decades ahead.  When that happens, BP, ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell and others will rise in stock price.

Until then, there is a robust dividend yield to pay investors.

The dividend yield for BP is over 5 percent.  That is much higher than the yield for ExxonMobil.  In addition, BP has a history of dividend growth.  From that, income investors get paid simply for not selling the stock

For growth, value, and income investors, BP PLC is a stock that should be rewarding for the long term!