British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) Downgraded by StockNews.com to “Hold”

StockNews.com downgraded shares of British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Monday morning.

British American Tobacco Price Performance

British American Tobacco stock opened at $29.95 on Monday. British American Tobacco has a 52 week low of $28.25 and a 52 week high of $35.85. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $29.77 and its 200 day simple moving average is $30.09. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67.

British American Tobacco Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 6th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 20th will be paid a $0.7431 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 20th. This represents a $2.97 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.93%.

Institutional Trading of British American Tobacco

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Capital Research Global Investors increased its stake in British American Tobacco by 38.5% during the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 15,316,688 shares of the company’s stock worth $448,625,000 after acquiring an additional 4,259,548 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in British American Tobacco by 34.0% in the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,568,285 shares of the company’s stock valued at $80,670,000 after buying an additional 650,979 shares during the period. Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC lifted its position in British American Tobacco by 39.0% during the third quarter. Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC now owns 2,115,007 shares of the company’s stock valued at $66,432,000 after buying an additional 593,035 shares in the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. grew its stake in British American Tobacco by 15.2% during the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 2,099,969 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,508,000 after buying an additional 276,890 shares during the period. Finally, Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of British American Tobacco by 24.8% in the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 1,845,788 shares of the company’s stock valued at $54,063,000 after acquiring an additional 366,692 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 21.44% 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.