Analysts Set British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) Target Price at $51.00

British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) has been given a consensus rating of “Hold” by the eight brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has assigned a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $51.00.

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “underweight” rating and set a $40.00 price target on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Friday, August 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded British American Tobacco from a “sector perform” rating to an “underperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 2nd. Argus raised 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. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded British American Tobacco from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, July 26th.

British American Tobacco Stock Down 2.4%

Shares of BTI stock opened at $54.47 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. British American Tobacco has a 52-week low of $34.82 and a 52-week high of $59.29. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $53.22 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $51.03.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On British American Tobacco

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 41.9% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 193,292 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,996,000 after acquiring an additional 57,084 shares during the period. Brown Advisory Inc. raised its stake in British American Tobacco by 7.8% in the first quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 15,151 shares of the company’s stock valued at $627,000 after purchasing an additional 1,093 shares in the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC lifted its position in British American Tobacco by 8.2% during the first quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 53,537 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,215,000 after purchasing an additional 4,039 shares during the period. Ballentine Partners LLC grew its stake in British American Tobacco by 3.8% during the first quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 12,298 shares of the company’s stock worth $509,000 after buying an additional 445 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bleakley Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in British American Tobacco by 24.0% in the 1st quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 36,693 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,518,000 after buying an additional 7,111 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.16% of the company’s stock.

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.