Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Downgraded by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft to “Hold”

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) was downgraded by analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report released on Tuesday,Finviz reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the company. UBS Group lifted their target price on Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Bank of America raised shares of Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, December 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $54.00.

Altria Group Stock Performance

NYSE:MO traded down $1.17 on Tuesday, hitting $58.85. 7,445,693 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,876,889. The stock has a market capitalization of $99.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $55.23 and its 200 day moving average price is $53.65. Altria Group has a 52 week low of $40.65 and a 52 week high of $60.20.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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, equities research analysts predict that Altria Group will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its position 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 acquiring an additional 462 shares in the last quarter. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Marshall Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

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.