SBI Securities Co. Ltd. Acquires 6,928 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. $MO

SBI Securities Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 2.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 257,599 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,928 shares during the period. SBI Securities Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $17,347,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in Altria Group by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 126,073,166 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,070,964,000 after purchasing an additional 1,325,175 shares during the period. GQG Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the second quarter valued at about $1,806,782,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the second quarter valued at about $1,104,566,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in shares of Altria Group by 1.0% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 12,929,142 shares of the company’s stock valued at $853,194,000 after buying an additional 133,676 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter valued at about $631,606,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

More Altria Group News

Here are the key news stories impacting Altria Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Dividend income remains the primary attraction. Articles highlight Altria’s long-term total returns, which were driven largely by reinvested dividends rather than share-price appreciation. The company continues to be featured among high-yield stocks appealing to retirees and income-focused investors. Altria’s Stock Has a Surprising 10-Year Return. Dividends Tell the Story
• Positive Sentiment: Expectations for the upcoming earnings report are favorable. Zacks coverage says Altria has factors that could support an earnings beat and earnings growth. The company’s current fiscal-year guidance calls for adjusted EPS of $5.61 to $5.72, which may be reinforcing confidence in its cash-generation and dividend capacity. Altria Earnings Expected to Grow
• Positive Sentiment: Sector income-stock momentum is supportive. Altria is included in several lists of stocks offering yields above 6%, keeping the company visible to investors seeking cash returns while bond yields remain elevated. Strong results from rival Philip Morris also provide a constructive read-through for tobacco-sector demand and pricing power. Philip Morris Q3 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and technical momentum are mixed. MO is above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages and near its annual high, but that strength could make the stock more sensitive to profit-taking if earnings or guidance disappoint.
• Negative Sentiment: Long-term business risks remain. Coverage notes declining cigarette volumes, past write-downs and Altria’s weaker position in smoke-free products. These challenges could limit growth and remain important risks despite the company’s attractive dividend.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently commented on MO. Freedom Broker upgraded Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 16th. UBS Group increased their target price on Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. BTIG Research started coverage on Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. Barclays reduced their price target on Altria Group from $64.00 to $58.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Monday, October 12th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Altria Group presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $70.11.

Altria Group Stock Up 3.0%

NYSE:MO opened at $76.04 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $126.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.04, a P/E/G ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a fifty day moving average of $69.41 and a 200 day moving average of $69.90. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $54.70 and a 52 week high of $77.06.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.50 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $5.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.35 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 315.29% and a net margin of 33.99%. Altria Group’s revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.44 EPS. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.610-5.720 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.67 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 9th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were paid a dividend of $1.11 per share. This represents a $4.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.8%. This is a positive change from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 15th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is currently 93.67%.

Insider Activity at Altria Group

In other news, Director Kathryn McQuade bought 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 9th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $67.62 per share, for a total transaction of $101,430.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 114,929 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,771,498.98. This trade represents a 1.32% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Profile

Altria Group, Inc is a U.S.-based consumer products company focused primarily on tobacco, nicotine and related products. Through its operating companies, Altria sells cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, oral tobacco and nicotine products, and electronic vapor products.

Altria’s principal cigarette business is Philip Morris USA, whose portfolio includes Marlboro, Parliament and Virginia Slims. Its other major brands include Copenhagen and Skoal moist smokeless tobacco, Black & Mild cigars, on! nicotine pouches and NJOY electronic cigarettes.