British American Tobacco p.l.c. $BTI Shares Sold by Valicenti Advisory Services Inc.

Key Points

• Valicenti Advisory Services Inc. reduced its holdings in British American Tobacco by 24.3% during Q2, selling 42,925 shares, which now represents 1.5% of its investment portfolio.
• Several other institutional investors, including GQG Partners LLC and Orbis Allan Gray Ltd, increased their stakes in British American Tobacco by substantial margins, indicating continued interest in the stock.
• Analysts have mixed ratings on the stock, with five giving it a Buy rating and two a Sell rating, leading to a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $51.00.

Valicenti Advisory Services Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI - Free Report) by 24.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 133,395 shares of the company's stock after selling 42,925 shares during the period. British American Tobacco comprises 1.5% of Valicenti Advisory Services Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest position. Valicenti Advisory Services Inc.'s holdings in British American Tobacco were worth $6,314,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of BTI. GQG Partners LLC lifted its position in British American Tobacco by 59.8% during the first quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 9,598,465 shares of the company's stock valued at $397,089,000 after buying an additional 3,590,916 shares in the last quarter. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd lifted its position in British American Tobacco by 20.4% during the first quarter. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd now owns 12,021,231 shares of the company's stock valued at $497,318,000 after buying an additional 2,040,011 shares in the last quarter. Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC acquired a new position in British American Tobacco during the second quarter valued at approximately $29,568,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in British American Tobacco by 5,144.6% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 276,393 shares of the company's stock valued at $11,434,000 after buying an additional 271,123 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Sabrepoint Capital Management LP acquired a new position in British American Tobacco during the first quarter valued at approximately $7,653,000. 16.16% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Argus raised shares of British American Tobacco from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $62.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 8th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of British American Tobacco from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, July 26th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of British American Tobacco in a research report on Wednesday, July 9th. They set a "buy" rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada cut shares of British American Tobacco from a "sector perform" rating to an "underperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an "underweight" rating and set a $40.00 target price on shares of British American Tobacco in a research report on Friday, August 15th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $51.00.

British American Tobacco Trading Up 1.2%

BTI opened at $52.97 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $108.99 billion, a PE ratio of 10.88, a P/E/G ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 0.40. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $55.55 and its 200 day moving average price is $48.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 0.87 and a quick ratio of 0.55. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a 12-month low of $34.17 and a 12-month high of $59.29.

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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