Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Shares Purchased by Private Advisor Group LLC

Private Advisor Group LLC raised its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 3.4% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 181,325 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 5,958 shares during the period. Private Advisor Group LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $9,481,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MO. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its stake in Altria Group by 420.0% in the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 462 shares during the period. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. Kestra Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth $40,000. Finally, Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the third quarter valued at about $41,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Altria Group Stock Performance

MO opened at $54.31 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $92.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.29, a PEG ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group, Inc. has a one year low of $39.25 and a one year high of $58.03. The business’s fifty day moving average is $52.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $52.66.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a net margin of 46.90% and a negative return on equity of 258.72%. On average, analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 26th were paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 26th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.51%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently issued reports on MO. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on Altria Group from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Bank of America raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $53.29.

Altria Group Company 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.