Waterloo Capital L.P. Purchases 2,884 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Waterloo Capital L.P. lifted its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 3.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 77,677 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,884 shares during the quarter. Waterloo Capital L.P.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $4,062,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Promus Capital LLC bought a new position in Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the third quarter worth $34,000. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MO opened at $56.05 on Friday. Altria Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $40.65 and a fifty-two week high of $60.18. The company has a market cap of $94.77 billion, a PE ratio of 8.56, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $55.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $53.80.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its earnings results 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 net margin of 46.90% and a negative return on equity of 258.72%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.28%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 62.29%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. UBS Group lifted their target price on Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Two research 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. According to MarketBeat.com, Altria Group has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $54.00.

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.