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The latest update is out from British American Tobacco ( (GB:BATS) ).
British American Tobacco has bought back 163,992 ordinary shares from Banco Santander under its existing share repurchase programme, paying a volume‑weighted average price of 4,207.5002 pence per share. The company plans to cancel these shares, reducing its share count to 2,170,772,510 in issue, with 132,669,859 held in treasury, a move that marginally enhances earnings per share and may support the stock’s valuation.
The transaction, conducted on the London Stock Exchange on 20 April 2026 under shareholder authority granted at the April AGM, forms part of the broader buyback announced in March 2024. The detailed trade disclosures, provided in line with UK Market Abuse Regulation and FCA transparency rules, give investors data to assess changes in voting rights and determine any notification obligations regarding their holdings.
The most recent analyst rating on (GB:BATS) stock is a Buy with a £52.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on British American Tobacco stock, see the GB:BATS Stock Forecast page.
Spark’s Take on BATS Stock
According to Spark, TipRanks’ AI Analyst, BATS is a Outperform.
The score is driven primarily by solid-but-not-clean financial performance (profitability strength offset by leverage and a notable 2025 cash-flow decline). Valuation is supportive due to the high dividend yield and moderate P/E, while technicals are broadly neutral. Earnings-call guidance and capital-return plans help, but are tempered by vapor/illicit pressures and regional weakness.
To see Spark’s full report on BATS stock, click here.
More about British American Tobacco
British American Tobacco p.l.c. is a global tobacco company listed in London, best known for manufacturing and selling cigarettes and other nicotine products. The group focuses on international tobacco brands and operates extensive share repurchase programmes as part of its capital management strategy, seeking to balance investment needs with returns to shareholders.
Average Trading Volume: 4,565,292
Technical Sentiment Signal: Buy
Current Market Cap: £90.92B
See more data about BATS stock on TipRanks’ Stock Analysis page.