Eagle Asset Management Inc. Takes Position in British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI)

Eagle Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 18,981 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $672,000.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 35.6% during the 3rd quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 207,724 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,599,000 after acquiring an additional 54,555 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its position in British American Tobacco by 26.2% during the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 113,811 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,658,000 after purchasing an additional 23,626 shares during the last quarter. Atria Investments Inc increased its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 19.5% in the 1st quarter. Atria Investments Inc now owns 74,416 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,270,000 after buying an additional 12,150 shares during the last quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. raised its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 3,153.0% during the 3rd quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 572,077 shares of the company’s stock valued at $20,927,000 after buying an additional 554,491 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 131.8% in the 1st quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 2,796 shares of the company’s stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 1,590 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 21.44% of the company’s stock.

British American Tobacco Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:BTI opened at $37.35 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $35.91 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $34.48. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a 1 year low of $28.25 and a 1 year high of $39.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.88.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on BTI shares. Barclays upgraded British American Tobacco to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. StockNews.com downgraded British American Tobacco from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut shares of British American Tobacco from an “overweight” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $33.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, October 3rd.

About British American Tobacco

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.