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

Private Portfolio Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 1.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 21,717 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 205 shares during the period. Private Portfolio Partners LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $1,136,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. True Wealth Design LLC lifted its stake in 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 buying an additional 462 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the third quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE MO opened at $58.96 on Wednesday. Altria Group, Inc. has a one year low of $40.65 and a one year high of $60.18. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $55.38 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $53.69. The company has a market capitalization of $99.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 EPS 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%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be paid a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.92%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is presently 62.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

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.