Plan Group Financial LLC Purchases New Position in British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI)

Key Points

• Plan Group Financial LLC invested approximately $1.51 million in British American Tobacco by acquiring 36,500 shares during the first quarter.
• Several institutional investors, including Capital International Investors and FMR LLC, have significantly increased their holdings in British American Tobacco, indicating strong interest from the investment community.
• British American Tobacco recently declared a dividend of $0.7391 per share, with a yield of 599.0%, although the company has also received mixed ratings from analysts, including a downgrade to a "hold" from Wall Street Zen.

Plan Group Financial LLC purchased a new stake in British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 36,500 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,510,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of BTI. Golden State Wealth Management LLC increased its position in British American Tobacco by 100.0% during the first 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. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton boosted its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 87.0% during the first quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 602 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 280 shares during the period. Ameriflex Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Financial Management Professionals Inc. boosted its stake in shares of British American Tobacco by 78.5% in the first quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 632 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 278 shares during the period. Finally, Mather Group LLC. boosted its stake in shares of British American Tobacco by 292.7% in the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 644 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 480 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.16% of the company's stock.

British American Tobacco Trading Up 1.0%

Shares of BTI stock traded up $0.56 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $57.25. The company's stock had a trading volume of 4,444,324 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,929,268. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 0.87. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $50.26 and its 200-day simple moving average is $44.34. The company has a market cap of $117.92 billion, a PE ratio of 11.76, a P/E/G ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 0.38. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a 52 week low of $34.17 and a 52 week high of $57.29.

British American Tobacco Cuts Dividend

The company also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 30th were paid a $0.7391 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 27th. This represents a dividend yield of 599.0%. British American Tobacco's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 64.68%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have weighed in on BTI. Bank of America assumed coverage on British American Tobacco in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. They set a "buy" rating for the company. Wall Street Zen cut British American Tobacco from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, July 26th. Barclays reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Friday, June 13th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on British American Tobacco in a research report on Wednesday, July 9th. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $33.00.

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.