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

British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI - Get Free Report)'s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $39.70 and last traded at $39.59, with a volume of 6612303 shares. The stock had previously closed at $37.91.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on BTI. Morgan Stanley lowered shares of British American Tobacco from an "overweight" rating to an "underweight" rating and set a $33.00 target price for the company. in a report on Thursday, October 3rd. Barclays upgraded shares of British American Tobacco to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. StockNews.com cut British American Tobacco from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. Finally, UBS Group raised British American Tobacco from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Monday.

British American Tobacco Stock Down 1.1 %

The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $36.97 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $36.29.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On British American Tobacco

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. FMR LLC lifted its holdings in British American Tobacco by 67.7% in 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 in the last quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC grew its stake in British American Tobacco by 7.7% during the 3rd quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 2,873,456 shares of the company's stock valued at $105,111,000 after acquiring an additional 206,117 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new stake in British American Tobacco in the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,183,000. Bridgewater Associates LP acquired a new position in shares of British American Tobacco during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,118,000. Finally, Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. grew its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 3,153.0% in the third quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 572,077 shares of the company's stock valued at $20,927,000 after purchasing an additional 554,491 shares in the last quarter. 16.16% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other 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.