Wall Street Zen Upgrades British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) to Buy

British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on BTI. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Monday, June 8th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of British American Tobacco from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Finally, BTIG Research started coverage on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, British American Tobacco currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $51.00.

British American Tobacco Trading Up 0.1%

NYSE BTI opened at $60.71 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $61.19 and a 200-day moving average of $60.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.50. British American Tobacco has a 1-year low of $49.88 and a 1-year high of $67.30.

Institutional Trading of British American Tobacco

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. AlphaCore Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. AlphaCore Capital LLC now owns 10,849 shares of the company’s stock worth $614,000 after acquiring an additional 170 shares during the period. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in British American Tobacco by 3.8% in the fourth quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,996 shares of the company’s stock worth $283,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC raised its holdings in British American Tobacco by 3.1% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 6,184 shares of the company’s stock worth $362,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Wealth LLC lifted its position in British American Tobacco by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. NewEdge Wealth LLC now owns 58,696 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,323,000 after buying an additional 187 shares during the period. Finally, Renasant Bank grew its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 4.8% in the 1st quarter. Renasant Bank now owns 4,152 shares of the company’s stock worth $243,000 after buying an additional 192 shares during the period. 16.16% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More British American Tobacco News

Here are the key news stories impacting British American Tobacco this week:

• Positive Sentiment: British American Tobacco reported progress in its next-generation nicotine business during the first half of 2026. New categories contributed more revenue, growth accelerated, margins improved, and the vaping division returned to growth after a two-year downturn. These developments support the company’s long-term transition away from traditional tobacco and may justify a valuation premium. British American Tobacco: The Right Kind Of Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlighted British American Tobacco among consumer-goods companies under review, potentially drawing attention to its recurring cash flow, dividend appeal and smoke-free growth strategy. Analysts Offer Insights on Consumer Goods Companies
• Neutral Sentiment: The company’s second-quarter earnings call and presentation provided additional detail on results and management’s smoke-free transition, but the immediate share-price impact depends on how investors interpret the outlook and execution risks. BTI Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: British American Tobacco’s updated fiscal 2026 outlook trails analyst expectations: EPS guidance of 4.725 is below the 4.810 consensus, while revenue guidance of $33.7 billion is below the $35.0 billion estimate. The reduced outlook is likely the main reason investors have pressured the stock.
• Negative Sentiment: Reported quarterly EPS of $1.11 and revenue of $8.10 billion were substantially below consensus estimates of $2.21 and $16.42 billion, respectively. Although the magnitude may reflect reporting or accounting differences, the headline miss creates near-term confidence concerns. British American Tobacco Earnings Results

About British American Tobacco

British American Tobacco plc (BTI) is a multinational tobacco manufacturer and nicotine products company headquartered in London. Founded in 1902 as a joint venture to commercialize tobacco products outside the United States, the company has grown into one of the world’s largest tobacco firms with a long history in manufacturing and global distribution of combustible tobacco products.

BAT’s core business remains the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products under a portfolio of well-known consumer brands, including Dunhill, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Kent and Rothmans.