Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Given Consensus Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages

Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) have earned an average rating of “Hold” from the eight ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have issued a hold recommendation and three have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $53.29.

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, December 6th. 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 research note on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th.

Altria Group Stock Down 0.6 %

MO stock opened at $55.95 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $52.95 and a two-hundred day moving average of $53.01. The stock has a market cap of $94.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group has a 52-week low of $40.65 and a 52-week high of $58.59.

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

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.29%. Altria Group’s payout ratio is 62.29%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. True Wealth Design LLC lifted its holdings in Altria Group by 420.0% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 462 shares during the last quarter. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Marshall Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Altria Group

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.