Tobacco

Shares of Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI) are higher on the session by 0.52%, trading at $38.80. Overall put volume is now running at 2.71x the daily average, with 39% of all puts traded being purchases on the offer. 1,113 contracts have traded on the session so far. Reynolds American Inc. is...

Shares of Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO) are lower on the session by 4.54%, trading at $102.84. Overall put volume is now running at 3.23x the daily average, with 33% of all puts traded being purchases on the offer. 10,031 contracts have traded on the session so far. Lorillard, Inc. is the...

According to Morgan Stanley, Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) is upgraded to equal weight. Morgan Stanley said that the reasons included the ongoing profitable growth of Pall Mall (the largest price-value brand ever in US cigarettes). “We are upgrading RAI to Equal-weight and instituting a $38 12-...

Morgan Stanley has downgraded Lorillard (NYSE: LO) from Overweight to Equal-Weight and has established a $105 price target.

Morgan Stanley has upgraded Reynolds America (NYSE: RAI) from Underweight to Equal-Weight and maintains its $38 price target.

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) has been notified of an unsolicited "mini-tender offer" by TRC Capital Corporation for TRC to purchase in cash up to four million shares, or less than 0.2% of Altria's outstanding common stock. TRC's offer price of $26.75 per share represents a 4.19% discount to...

Lorillard Inc. (NYSE: LO) shares are down sharply again today, losing $3.20 to $108.04 on average daily volume. This is the second day in a row that shares of Lorillard have fallen sharply, while other tobacco stocks are seeing smaller losses. Since hitting a 52 week high last week, shares have...

Lorillard Inc. (NYSE: LO) shares are drastically underperforming the market today, and on heavy volume. This is something that Lorillard investors need to be aware of, as this marks a drastic turnaround from recent performance in the cigarette maker. Other names like Altria (NYSE: MO), Philip...

Shares of Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI) are lower on the session by 1.34%, currently trading at $38.96. The stock has been moving largely higher over the past six months and is currently trading above the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Options traders are buying puts on the name today....

Shares of Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO) are lower on the session by 2.00%, trading at $112.93. Overall put volume is now running at 2.11x the daily average, with 46% of all puts traded being purchases on the offer. 4,319 contracts have traded on the session so far. Lorillard, Inc. is the...

Boom!  Russell Investments jumped from sponsoring just one ETF to 17 in a span of less than 10 days.  The firm introduced a 10-fund suite of Russell Factor ETFs last Friday (5/27/11).  The second wave of new products comes quick on the heels of the Russell Investment Discipline Index ETFs rollout....

According to Bank of America, Altria (NYSE: MO) Buy rating is maintained. Bank of America said that it spent some time with Altria's senior management and investors last week and found management to be confident in its premium brand strategy, consistent in its focus on cigarette profitability and...

Bank of America has changed the price objectives on the following tobacco companies: Altria (NYSE: MO) Buy, from $27 to $30 Lorillard (NYSE: LO) Buy, from $109 to $124 Philip Morris (NYSE: PM) Buy, from $73 to $78 Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) from $37 to $40

Bank of America has raised the price objective on Altria Group (NYSE: MO) from $27 to $30 and maintains its Buy rating.

Tobacco stocks have been strong performers this year, as investors seek capital appreciation along with strong dividend yields. Names like Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM), Lorillard (NYSE: LO), Altria (NYSE: MO), and Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) are all putting in performances today, led...