Japan Tob (OTCMKTS:JAPAY) Sees Significant Growth in Short Interest

Japan Tob (OTCMKTS:JAPAY) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest during the month of July. As of July 15th, there was short interest totaling 34,955 shares, an increase of 169.2% from the June 30th total of 12,986 shares. Currently, 0.0% of the company’s shares are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 149,346 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.2 days.

Japan Tob Stock Up 1.7%

JAPAY traded up $0.34 on Tuesday, hitting $20.29. The company had a trading volume of 36,926 shares, compared to its average volume of 148,743. The stock has a market capitalization of $72.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.29 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a current ratio of 1.88. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $19.09 and a 200-day moving average price of $18.82. Japan Tob has a 12-month low of $14.20 and a 12-month high of $20.68.

Japan Tob (OTCMKTS:JAPAY) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 8th. The company reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.30 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $5.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.69 billion. Analysts predict that Japan Tob will post 1.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

JAPAY has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Zacks Research raised shares of Japan Tob from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. BTIG Research initiated coverage on shares of Japan Tob in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $17.00.

Japan Tob Company Profile

Japan Tobacco Inc (OTC: JAPAY) is a Tokyo-based multinational company primarily engaged in the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. The company’s core activities include the development, production and distribution of cigarettes and other nicotine-delivery products for domestic and international markets. Japan Tobacco also pursues business activities beyond tobacco, including pharmaceutical and processed‑food operations through subsidiary units and strategic investments.

In its tobacco operations the company serves both the Japanese market and a broad international footprint through its global operating arm, Japan Tobacco International (JTI).