British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) Hits New 12-Month High - Should You Buy?

Shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $39.94 and last traded at $39.93, with a volume of 27272 shares. The stock had previously closed at $39.74.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com lowered British American Tobacco from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. Barclays raised shares of British American Tobacco to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of British American Tobacco from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, January 27th.

British American Tobacco Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.58. The firm's fifty day moving average is $37.47 and its two-hundred day moving average is $36.76.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BTI. FMR LLC increased its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 67.7% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 7,105,356 shares of the company's stock valued at $259,914,000 after purchasing an additional 2,868,675 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors LLC raised its position in British American Tobacco by 4.8% in the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 3,010,687 shares of the company's stock worth $109,348,000 after acquiring an additional 137,231 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in British American Tobacco in the 4th quarter valued at about $55,620,000. First Eagle Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of British American Tobacco by 13.0% in the 4th quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 967,976 shares of the company's stock worth $35,157,000 after purchasing an additional 111,033 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ABC Arbitrage SA bought a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,480,000. 16.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.