Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Receives $70.44 Average PT from Analysts

Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) have received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the eleven brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have issued a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $70.4444.

MO has been the subject of several research reports. Bank of America lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 10th. Wall Street Zen cut Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, June 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $77.00 price objective on shares of Altria Group in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on Altria Group from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of MO stock opened at $71.96 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $70.63 and a 200 day moving average price of $66.04. The stock has a market cap of $120.16 billion, a PE ratio of 15.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.46. Altria Group has a 1 year low of $54.70 and a 1 year high of $74.56.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $4.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.58 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 298.69% and a net margin of 34.34%.Altria Group’s revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.23 earnings per share. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Altria Group will post 5.68 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be issued a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is 88.70%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Ellen R. Strahlman sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.56, for a total value of $145,120.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 25,102 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,821,401.12. The trade was a 7.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Ennis Debra J. Kelly sold 5,790 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.25, for a total value of $418,327.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 73,809 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,332,700.25. This trade represents a 7.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Altria Group

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in MO. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 64.7% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 17,702 shares of the company’s stock worth $926,000 after acquiring an additional 6,954 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 86.3% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 6,361 shares of the company’s stock worth $373,000 after acquiring an additional 2,946 shares during the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 6.9% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 9,630 shares of the company’s stock worth $565,000 after acquiring an additional 618 shares during the last quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL acquired a new position in Altria Group in the second quarter valued at $346,000. Finally, AXA S.A. acquired a new position in Altria Group in the second quarter valued at $5,752,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Altria Group

Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) is a U.S.-based consumer goods company whose principal business is the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company’s operations are focused primarily on the U.S. market and include the production, marketing and distribution of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and cigars. Its flagship cigarette franchise in the United States is sold through its operating subsidiaries and is among the most recognizable cigarette brands in the country.

Altria’s principal operating businesses include Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), U.S.