British American Tobacco p.l.c. $BTI Shares Sold by Vestmark Advisory Solutions Inc.

Vestmark Advisory Solutions Inc. cut its stake in British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) by 20.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 67,415 shares of the company’s stock after selling 17,111 shares during the period. Vestmark Advisory Solutions Inc.’s holdings in British American Tobacco were worth $3,578,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 35.2% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 27,914 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,155,000 after purchasing an additional 7,270 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in British American Tobacco by 42.5% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 8,455 shares of the company’s stock worth $400,000 after acquiring an additional 2,521 shares during the period. Ethic Inc. bought a new stake in British American Tobacco in the second quarter worth about $316,000. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in British American Tobacco in the 2nd quarter valued at about $205,000. Finally, Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 243,367 shares of the company’s stock valued at $11,519,000 after purchasing an additional 10,096 shares in the last quarter. 16.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

BTI has been the topic of a number of research reports. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a report on Friday, November 28th. Weiss Ratings raised British American Tobacco from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “underweight” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Kepler Capital Markets started coverage on British American Tobacco in a report on Friday, December 12th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a report on Friday, November 28th. Eight 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 company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $51.00.

British American Tobacco Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of BTI stock opened at $62.15 on Tuesday. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a 1-year low of $37.96 and a 1-year high of $63.03. The company has a current ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $58.36 and its 200-day simple moving average is $56.15.

British American Tobacco Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 8th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 29th will be issued a $0.8349 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 29th. This represents a $3.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.4%.

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.