Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Given Average Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the eight ratings firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have given a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $53.29.

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on MO shares. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on 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. Bank of America upgraded Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research report on Friday, December 6th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its stake in Altria Group by 420.0% in the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 462 shares during the period. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE MO opened at $58.17 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $55.07 and a two-hundred day moving average of $53.60. The company has a market capitalization of $98.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.88, a PEG ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56. Altria Group has a twelve month low of $40.65 and a twelve month high of $59.67.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 EPS 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%. As a group, research analysts predict that Altria Group will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be given a $1.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.01%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.29%.

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.