Brevan Howard Capital Management LP Buys New Stake in British American Tobacco p.l.c. $BTI

Brevan Howard Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 77,910 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,135,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Crawford Investment Counsel Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco during the third quarter worth $18,768,000. Carter Financial Group INC. purchased a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco during the 3rd quarter worth about $203,000. Centiva Capital LP acquired a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco in the third quarter worth $563,000. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. increased its holdings in British American Tobacco by 16.4% in the 3rd quarter. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. now owns 21,165 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,123,000 after purchasing an additional 2,988 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald L. P. raised its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 319.8% during the 3rd quarter. Cantor Fitzgerald L. P. now owns 21,414 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,137,000 after buying an additional 16,313 shares during the period. 16.16% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BTI has been the topic of several analyst reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of British American Tobacco from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Kepler Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of British American Tobacco in a report on Friday, December 12th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an “underweight” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $51.00.

British American Tobacco Stock Performance

British American Tobacco stock opened at $59.93 on Monday. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a 52 week low of $37.96 and a 52 week high of $63.22. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $59.37 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $56.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.87 and a quick ratio of 0.57.

British American Tobacco Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 8th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 29th will be issued a dividend of $0.8349 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 29th. This represents a $3.34 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.6%.

British American Tobacco Profile

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.