Tobacco

Shares of Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) are lower on the session by 0.71%, currently trading at $31.99. The stock had been moving largely lower over the past six months, though it recently came under selling pressure and is trading below the 50-day moving average. Options traders are buying calls...

Below are the top large-cap cigarette stocks on the NYSE, the NASDAQ and the AMEX in terms of return on assets. The trailing-twelve-month return on assets at Lorillard Inc (NYSE: LO) is 35.67%. LO's operating margin for the same period is 45.10%. The trailing-twelve-month return on assets at Philip...

Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) announced the sale of Lane Limited to the Denmark based Scandinavian Tobacco Group for $205 million cash. The deal is expected to close by middle of 2011. The Scandinavian Tobacco Group will acquire the two Lane facilities in Tucker, presently employing 110 workers,...

Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) announced the sale of Lane Limited to the Denmark based Scandinavian Tobacco Group for $205 million cash. The deal is expected to close by middle of 2011. The Scandinavian Tobacco Group will acquire the two Lane facilities in Tucker, presently employing 110 workers,...

Analysts at BofA/Merrill downgrade British American Tobacco (AMEX: BTI) from “buy” to “neutral.” BTI shares gained 0.65% to close at $76.23 yesterday. More Analyst Ratings here

Goldman Sachs is out with an analyst note this morning, where it suggests hedging long positions in Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO) by buying 1x2 put spreads. The report noted that Goldman Sachs Tobacco analyst, Judy Hong, recently removed LO from the Conviction Buy list (still rated Buy), given...

Deutsche Bank has published a research report on Lorillard Inc. (NYSE: LO) after the company experienced a difficult day of hearings that reaffirm the menthol risk in company products. In the report, Deutsche Bank writes "We come away slightly more concerned, and believe recommendation of menthol...

"Altria (NYSE: MO) -- our top investment idea for the coming year -- is an extremely simple business; the company provides a specific product, tobacco, to a specific consumer niche, tobacco users," says dividend expert Kelley Wright. The editor Investment Quality Trends explains, "While distasteful...

• Citigroup (NYSE:C) is reportedly looking for  a buyer for its CitiFinancial Unit for as much as $1 billion • Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) has added Diamond Offshore (NYSE:DO) to its Conviction Buy List, upgrading the shares from a "selling" rating previously held, with a target price of $85 • Morgan...

• Citigroup (NYSE:C) is reportedly looking for  a buyer for its CitiFinancial Unit for as much as $1 billion • Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) has added Diamond Offshore (NYSE:DO) to its Conviction Buy List, upgrading the shares from a "selling" rating previously held, with a target price of $85 • Morgan...

CIGNA Corporation (NYSE: CI) was upgraded by Deutsche Bank from “hold" to “buy." CI's shares closed at $37.60 yesterday. CIGNA's PEG ratio is 0.83. Morgan Stanley upgrade ADTRAN Inc (NASDAQ: ADTN) from “equal weight” to “overweight." ADTN's shares closed at $36.84 yesterday. ADTRAN's trailing-...

Analysts at UBS upgrade Reynolds American Inc (NYSE: RAI) from “neutral” to “buy.” The target price for RAI has been raised from $33 to $38. RAI shares gained 0.03% to close at $32.85 yesterday. More Analyst Ratings here

Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO), the third largest manufacturer of cigarettes in the United States, today announced the election of Dianne Neal Blixt to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. The Board is now comprised of eight members, seven of whom are non-executive independent Directors. Ms...

On CNBC's Mad Money Lightning Round OT, Jim Cramer said that investors should not buy American Capital Ltd. (NASDAQ: ACAS). He added that he doesn't believe in a possible takeover of ACAS. On Monday, American Capital Ltd. (ACAS) jumped 4.50%, and closed at $7.90. Cramer thinks that the tobacco...

Whether you're pro- or anti-tobacco, the fact is that more than 1-in-7 people in the world today still smoke. And as emerging economies see their middle classes grow, the use of tobacco in its many forms escalates. Nearly 2-in-5 men in India smoke, while 3-in-5...