OneAscent Financial Services LLC Buys Shares of 6,197 Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

OneAscent Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 6,197 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $324,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Financial Life Planners bought a new position in Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Promus Capital LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the third quarter worth $34,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of MO stock opened at $57.93 on Friday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $40.65 and a 1 year high of $60.18. The firm has a market capitalization of $97.93 billion, a PE ratio of 8.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $55.64 and a two-hundred day moving average of $53.75.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a net margin of 46.90% and a negative return on equity of 258.72%. Equities research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be issued 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 7.04%. Altria Group’s payout ratio is 62.29%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently commented on MO. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Bank of America raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. UBS Group raised their price target on Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $54.00.

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.