BNP Paribas Financial Markets Grows Stock Position in British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI)

BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its holdings in British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI - Free Report) by 21.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 82,029 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 14,655 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets' holdings in British American Tobacco were worth $2,979,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC lifted its holdings in British American Tobacco by 3.0% in the 4th quarter. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC now owns 8,904 shares of the company's stock valued at $323,000 after purchasing an additional 258 shares in the last quarter. Keystone Financial Group lifted its holdings in British American Tobacco by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Keystone Financial Group now owns 17,695 shares of the company's stock valued at $643,000 after purchasing an additional 267 shares in the last quarter. Stokes Family Office LLC lifted its holdings in British American Tobacco by 1.9% in the 4th quarter. Stokes Family Office LLC now owns 14,697 shares of the company's stock valued at $534,000 after purchasing an additional 269 shares in the last quarter. Key Client Fiduciary Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in British American Tobacco by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Key Client Fiduciary Advisors LLC now owns 15,047 shares of the company's stock valued at $547,000 after purchasing an additional 295 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Harbour Investments Inc. lifted its holdings in British American Tobacco by 17.0% in the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 2,095 shares of the company's stock valued at $76,000 after purchasing an additional 305 shares in the last quarter. 16.16% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have issued reports on BTI shares. UBS Group upgraded shares of British American Tobacco from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, January 27th. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. They set a "buy" rating for the company. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of British American Tobacco from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, February 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $33.00.

British American Tobacco Trading Up 2.2%

NYSE BTI opened at $41.44 on Friday. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a 12 month low of $30.01 and a 12 month high of $44.78. The company has a 50-day moving average of $41.62 and a 200-day moving average of $38.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.76 and a quick ratio of 0.58. The company has a market cap of $85.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.51 and a beta of 0.32.

British American Tobacco Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 9th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 30th will be given a dividend of $0.7391 per share. This represents a $2.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 30th. British American Tobacco's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 60.57%.

British American Tobacco Company Profile

British American Tobacco p.l.c. engages in the provision of tobacco and nicotine products to consumers worldwide. It also offers vapour, heated, and modern oral nicotine products; combustible cigarettes; and traditional oral products, such as snus and moist snuff. The company offers its products under the Vuse, glo, Velo, Grizzly, Kodiak, Dunhill, Kent, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Rothmans, Camel, Natural American Spirit, Newport, Vogue, Viceroy, Kool, Peter Stuyvesant, Craven A, State Express 555 and Shuang Xi brands.

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