Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. Grows Stock Holdings in British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI)

Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) by 18.6% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 11,519 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 1,806 shares during the period. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc.’s holdings in British American Tobacco were worth $418,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BTI. FMR LLC lifted its position in British American Tobacco by 67.7% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 7,105,356 shares of the company’s stock worth $259,914,000 after acquiring an additional 2,868,675 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of British American Tobacco during the fourth quarter worth $55,620,000. ABC Arbitrage SA purchased a new position in shares of British American Tobacco in the fourth quarter valued at $31,480,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new stake in British American Tobacco during the 3rd quarter valued at $28,183,000. Finally, Bridgewater Associates LP acquired a new position in British American Tobacco in the 3rd quarter worth $27,118,000. 16.16% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

British American Tobacco Stock Performance

Shares of British American Tobacco stock opened at $41.14 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $85.21 billion, a PE ratio of 8.45 and a beta of 0.50. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a 1 year low of $28.25 and a 1 year high of $42.74. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $39.78 and its 200-day simple moving average is $37.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.76.

British American Tobacco Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.7491 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 28th. British American Tobacco’s dividend payout ratio is presently 60.57%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on BTI shares. StockNews.com raised British American Tobacco from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, February 17th. UBS Group raised British American Tobacco from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, January 27th.

British American Tobacco 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.