Guggenheim Capital LLC Has $10.37 Million Stock Position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Guggenheim Capital LLC cut its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 4.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 198,326 shares of the company’s stock after selling 8,367 shares during the quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $10,370,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Rossby Financial LCC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $322,000. Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan bought a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at $1,201,000. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in Altria Group by 113.2% during the 4th quarter. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,917 shares of the company’s stock worth $727,000 after acquiring an additional 7,390 shares during the last quarter. CreativeOne Wealth LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 27.7% in the fourth quarter. CreativeOne Wealth LLC now owns 155,564 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,134,000 after purchasing an additional 33,724 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mariner LLC grew its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 22.1% during the fourth quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 651,174 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,050,000 after purchasing an additional 118,072 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Stock Down 0.4 %

NYSE:MO opened at $57.29 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $96.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.75, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54. Altria Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $40.74 and a twelve month high of $60.18. The company has a fifty day moving average of $56.50 and a 200-day moving average of $54.15.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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%. On average, analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be paid a $1.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.12%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.29%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MO has been the topic of a number of research reports. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 target price on Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $54.00.

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.