British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) Upgraded to Buy at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

Several other analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research note on Monday, June 8th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of British American Tobacco from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Finally, BTIG Research assumed coverage on shares of British American Tobacco in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, British American Tobacco has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $51.00.

British American Tobacco Price Performance

Shares of BTI opened at $60.71 on Friday. British American Tobacco has a 52-week low of $49.88 and a 52-week high of $67.30. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $61.19 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $60.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.87 and a quick ratio of 0.57.

Institutional Trading of British American Tobacco

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. First Bank & Trust lifted its stake in shares of British American Tobacco by 7.2% in the second quarter. First Bank & Trust now owns 78,564 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,852,000 after buying an additional 5,292 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Science Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 8.2% during the second quarter. Wealth Science Advisors LLC now owns 41,968 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,592,000 after acquiring an additional 3,186 shares in the last quarter. HF Advisory Group LLC increased its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 8.0% during the second quarter. HF Advisory Group LLC now owns 55,111 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,404,000 after acquiring an additional 4,087 shares in the last quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 25.1% in the 2nd quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC now owns 10,242 shares of the company’s stock worth $633,000 after acquiring an additional 2,052 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Trust Point Inc. bought a new position in British American Tobacco in the 2nd quarter valued at about $233,000. Institutional investors own 16.16% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting British American Tobacco

Here are the key news stories impacting British American Tobacco this week:

• Positive Sentiment: British American Tobacco reported progress in its next-generation nicotine business during the first half of 2026. New categories contributed more revenue, growth accelerated, margins improved, and the vaping division returned to growth after a two-year downturn. These developments support the company’s long-term transition away from traditional tobacco and may justify a valuation premium. British American Tobacco: The Right Kind Of Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlighted British American Tobacco among consumer-goods companies under review, potentially drawing attention to its recurring cash flow, dividend appeal and smoke-free growth strategy. Analysts Offer Insights on Consumer Goods Companies
• Neutral Sentiment: The company’s second-quarter earnings call and presentation provided additional detail on results and management’s smoke-free transition, but the immediate share-price impact depends on how investors interpret the outlook and execution risks. BTI Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: British American Tobacco’s updated fiscal 2026 outlook trails analyst expectations: EPS guidance of 4.725 is below the 4.810 consensus, while revenue guidance of $33.7 billion is below the $35.0 billion estimate. The reduced outlook is likely the main reason investors have pressured the stock.
• Negative Sentiment: Reported quarterly EPS of $1.11 and revenue of $8.10 billion were substantially below consensus estimates of $2.21 and $16.42 billion, respectively. Although the magnitude may reflect reporting or accounting differences, the headline miss creates near-term confidence concerns. British American Tobacco Earnings Results

British American Tobacco Company Profile

British American Tobacco plc (BTI) is a multinational tobacco manufacturer and nicotine products company headquartered in London. Founded in 1902 as a joint venture to commercialize tobacco products outside the United States, the company has grown into one of the world’s largest tobacco firms with a long history in manufacturing and global distribution of combustible tobacco products.

BAT’s core business remains the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products under a portfolio of well-known consumer brands, including Dunhill, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Kent and Rothmans.