Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Shares Up 0.7% – Still a Buy?

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) shares were up 0.7% on Monday . The company traded as high as $57.15 and last traded at $57.04. Approximately 1,651,521 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 82% from the average daily volume of 8,991,948 shares. The stock had previously closed at $56.65.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MO has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 price target on shares of Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. UBS Group increased their price objective on Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of 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. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Altria Group presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $54.00.

Altria Group Stock Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $97.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54. The business’s 50 day moving average is $56.41 and its 200-day moving average is $54.13.

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 negative return on equity of 258.72% and a net margin of 46.90%. Equities research analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal 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. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.09%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is currently 62.29%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Financial Life Planners bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC bought a new position in Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

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.