Analysts’ Weekly Ratings Updates for Altria Group (MO)

Several brokerages have updated their recommendations and price targets on shares of Altria Group (NYSE: MO) in the last few weeks:

• 11/6/2024 – Altria Group had its price target raised by analysts at Barclays PLC from $45.00 to $46.00. They now have an “underweight” rating on the stock.
• 11/4/2024 – Altria Group was upgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating.
• 11/1/2024 – Altria Group had its price target raised by analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from $52.00 to $60.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.
• 11/1/2024 – Altria Group had its price target raised by analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from $54.00 to $60.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.
• 10/15/2024 – Altria Group had its price target lowered by analysts at Bank of America Co. from $57.00 to $53.00. They now have a “neutral” rating on the stock.
• 10/8/2024 – Altria Group had its price target raised by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from $44.50 to $48.00. They now have a “neutral” rating on the stock.
• 10/8/2024 – Altria Group was downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of MO stock opened at $55.23 on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $51.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $49.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $93.60 billion, a PE ratio of 9.33, a PEG ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $39.25 and a 52-week high of $55.40.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $1.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.26 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.33 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 233.80% and a net margin of 42.82%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 18.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.28 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th were issued a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.39%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 16th. This is a boost from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 68.92%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Altria Group

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of MO. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Altria Group by 1.0% during the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 57,508,314 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,935,224,000 after purchasing an additional 589,832 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc raised its holdings in Altria Group by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 12,355,509 shares of the company’s stock valued at $562,793,000 after buying an additional 191,236 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Altria Group by 25.0% during the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 6,490,441 shares of the company’s stock valued at $295,055,000 after buying an additional 1,299,703 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Altria Group by 5.0% in the second quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,060,589 shares of the company’s stock worth $230,510,000 after buying an additional 243,201 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LSV Asset Management boosted its stake in Altria Group by 4.6% during the second quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 4,888,137 shares of the company’s stock worth $222,655,000 after buying an additional 215,594 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

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.