BTI vs. UVV

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

BTI (British American Tobacco p.l.c.) and UVV (Universal Corporation) are both stocks. Both operate in the Tobacco industry within the Consumer Defensive sector. Over the past 10 years, BTI returned 6.75%/yr vs 5.39%/yr for UVV. At a 0.25 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BTI vs. UVV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BTI) and Universal Corporation (UVV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BTI achieves a 8.33% return, which is significantly higher than UVV's 6.32% return. Over the past 10 years, BTI has outperformed UVV with an annualized return of 6.75%, while UVV has yielded a comparatively lower 5.39% annualized return.

BTI

• 1D: -0.89%
• 1M: 2.98%
• YTD: 8.33%
• 6M: 7.29%
• 1Y: 41.12%
• 3Y*: 33.38%
• 5Y*: 17.85%
• 10Y*: 6.75%

UVV

• 1D: 0.46%
• 1M: 0.24%
• YTD: 6.32%
• 6M: 5.82%
• 1Y: -11.53%
• 3Y*: 7.22%
• 5Y*: 4.86%
• 10Y*: 5.39%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BTI vs. UVV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BTI British American Tobacco p.l.c.	8.33%	65.81%	35.44%	-19.97%	14.91%	7.95%	-4.73%	42.97%	-49.35%	24.40%
UVV Universal Corporation	6.32%	2.27%	-13.39%	35.79%	1.82%	19.59%	-8.96%	11.08%	7.79%	-14.79%

Correlation

The correlation between BTI and UVV is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.33
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.40
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.43
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.38
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 6, 1988	0.25

The correlation between BTI and UVV shifts across timeframes, from 0.25 (all time) to 0.43 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

EPS BTI : $4.93 UVV : $1.73
PE Ratio BTI : 12.27 UVV : 31.45
PS Ratio BTI : 2.58 UVV : 0.46
Total Revenue (TTM) BTI : $51.48B UVV : $2.21B
Gross Profit (TTM) BTI : $42.82B UVV : $412.39M
EBITDA (TTM) BTI : $20.34B UVV : $212.91M

Return for Risk

BTI vs. UVV — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BTI

BTI Risk / Return Rank: 82
BTI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
BTI Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
BTI Omega Ratio Rank: 79
BTI Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
BTI Martin Ratio Rank: 81

UVV

UVV Risk / Return Rank: 20
UVV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 19
UVV Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
UVV Omega Ratio Rank: 18
UVV Calmar Ratio Rank: 20
UVV Martin Ratio Rank: 25

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

BTI vs. UVV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BTI) and Universal Corporation (UVV). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	BTI	UVV	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.83	-0.48	+2.31
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.52	-0.48	+3.00
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	0.93	+0.37
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.03	-0.57	+3.60
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.16	-0.81	+7.97
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BTI vs. UVV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BTI Sharpe Ratio is 1.83, which is higher than the UVV Sharpe Ratio of -0.48. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BTI and UVV, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BTI	UVV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.83	-0.48	+2.31
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.85	0.20	+0.65
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.28	0.19	+0.09
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.58	0.28	+0.30

Drawdowns

BTI vs. UVV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BTI drawdown since its inception was -64.11%, smaller than the maximum UVV drawdown of -69.75%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BTI and UVV.

Drawdown Indicators

	BTI	UVV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-64.11%	-69.75%	+5.64%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.75%	-16.79%	+3.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.75%	-29.70%	+15.95%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.94%	-29.70%	-0.24%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-56.00%	-45.68%	-10.32%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.36%	-11.65%	+2.29%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.94%	-18.60%	+5.66%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.83%	14.40%	-8.57%

Volatility

BTI vs. UVV - Volatility Comparison

British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BTI) and Universal Corporation (UVV) have volatilities of 9.38% and 9.50%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BTI	UVV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.38%	9.50%	-0.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.97%	18.15%	-0.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.59%	24.09%	-1.50%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.07%	24.54%	-3.47%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.18%	28.92%	-4.74%

Dividends

BTI vs. UVV - Dividend Comparison

BTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.10%, less than UVV's 6.03% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BTI British American Tobacco p.l.c.	5.10%	5.29%	8.18%	9.72%	7.23%	7.98%	7.22%	6.35%	8.53%	4.27%	3.85%	4.11%
UVV Universal Corporation	6.03%	6.18%	5.87%	4.72%	5.95%	5.64%	6.30%	5.29%	4.80%	4.11%	3.33%	3.71%

Financials

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BTI and UVV in my portfolio?

BTI and UVV have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BTI or UVV?

UVV has higher volatility (9.50%) compared to BTI (9.38%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BTI dropped -64.11% vs UVV's -69.75%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.83 vs -0.48), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.