Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Shares Down 0.6% – What’s Next?

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)’s share price fell 0.6% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $55.97 and last traded at $56.03. 2,132,668 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 76% from the average session volume of 9,005,128 shares. The stock had previously closed at $56.38.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on 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. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 target price on shares of Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $54.00.

Altria Group Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of $96.07 billion, a PE ratio of 8.67, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54. The business’s fifty day moving average is $56.14 and its 200-day moving average is $54.00.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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%. Analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared 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 is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.18%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 62.29%.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Hedge funds and other 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.