BAT Slides With London Market as Boardroom Changes and a Goldman Upgrade Draw Focus
Published on 11/08/2026 at 05:02 | Editorial boerse-global.de
British American Tobacco shares shed 2.5% on Friday, caught in a broad global equities selloff that Reuters linked to investor anxiety over artificial intelligence. The news agency counted the cigarette maker among the London heavyweights dragging the FTSE 100 lower, with the stock closing the session at €54.84. Media reports also placed the London tobacco sector among the weakest industries in the FTSE 350 as the wider UK market finished in the red.
Against that soft backdrop, corporate news flow around the company stayed busy. Goldman Sachs lifted its rating on BAT from Neutral to Buy on Monday, raising its 12-month price target to £56 from £52. The analysts pointed to a clearer route toward sustained organic revenue growth, framing the upgrade and the higher target as two parts of a single reassessment.
Directors were buying shares in the meantime. Seven senior executives, including CEO Tadeu Marroco and COO Johan Vandermeulen, each acquired three ordinary shares through the company's Partnership Share Scheme on Wednesday, according to a regulatory disclosure published Thursday. The purchase price came to £45.325 per share, with all seven executives reporting the same transaction size and the same dealing day.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying British American Tobacco?
BAT also disclosed a C$187.5 million investment in Organigram on Tuesday. Structured as a private placement, the funding is intended to help Organigram finance its acquisition of Aurora Cannabis, with Organigram acting as buyer and Aurora as the target.
On the governance front, the company announced on 28 October that Bruce Sewell would join the board as an independent non-executive director, effective 1 January 2027. Sewell is also slated to serve on the audit and nomination committees. Separate changes to the composition of the company's committees are set to take effect on 30 November 2026.
Finally, The Capital Group Companies reported a reduction in its voting rights in British American Tobacco, from 18.023677% to 17.975584%.
Ad
British American Tobacco Stock: New Analysis - 8 November
Fresh British American Tobacco information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends.
