Stratos Investment Management LLC Sells 722 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Stratos Investment Management LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 11.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,588 shares of the company’s stock after selling 722 shares during the quarter. Stratos Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $292,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 420.0% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 462 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the third quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Fairman Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 85.1% during the third quarter. Fairman Group LLC now owns 892 shares of the company’s stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 410 shares in the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of MO opened at $52.58 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $89.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.64. The business has a 50-day moving average of $53.39 and a 200-day moving average of $52.42. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $39.25 and a 1 year high of $58.03.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 258.72% and a net margin of 46.90%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 26th were paid a $1.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 26th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.76%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.29%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Bank of America raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, December 6th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. StockNews.com raised Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Barclays raised their price objective on Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $53.29.

Altria Group Profile

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company offers cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; large cigars and pipe tobacco under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; oral nicotine pouches under the on! brand; and e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand.