British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) Reaches New 1-Year High - Should You Buy?

Key Points

• British American Tobacco's shares reached a new 52-week high of $53.02 amid trading, closing at $52.87.
• Analysts have given mixed ratings, with four buy ratings, one hold, and one sell, leading to an average rating of "Moderate Buy".
• The company recently announced a $0.7391 dividend payable on August 6th, which represents a yield of 5.99%.

Shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $53.02 and last traded at $52.87, with a volume of 2135701 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $52.77.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BTI has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. They set a "buy" rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Wednesday, July 9th. They set a "buy" rating on the stock. Barclays restated an "overweight" rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Friday, June 13th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of British American Tobacco from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, July 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $33.00.

British American Tobacco Stock Up 1.9%

The stock's fifty day moving average is $48.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is $43.52. The company has a current ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The firm has a market cap of $112.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.33.

British American Tobacco Cuts Dividend

The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 6th. Investors of record on Monday, June 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.7391 per share. This represents a yield of 599.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 27th. British American Tobacco's dividend payout ratio is 60.78%.

Institutional Trading of British American Tobacco

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton increased its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 87.0% in the 1st quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 602 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 280 shares during the last quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 100.0% in the 1st quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 610 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 305 shares during the last quarter. Ameriflex Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of British American Tobacco in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Financial Management Professionals Inc. increased its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 78.5% in the 1st quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 632 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 278 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. increased its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 292.7% in the 1st quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 644 shares of the company's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 480 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 16.16% of the company's stock.

About British American Tobacco

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.