Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Trading 1.7% Higher – Should You Buy?

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) shot up 1.7% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $56.97 and last traded at $56.59. 2,331,113 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 74% from the average session volume of 8,947,388 shares. The stock had previously closed at $55.66.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently issued reports on MO. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 price objective on Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of 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. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $54.00.

Altria Group Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $94.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.50, a PEG ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a fifty day moving average of $55.77 and a 200 day moving average of $53.86.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted 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%. As a group, 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. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be given a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.32%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.29%.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.