Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Receives $53.29 Consensus Target Price from Analysts

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) has been given a consensus rating of “Hold” by the eight brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have given a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $54.00.

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on 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 lowered shares of Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Bank of America raised shares of Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, December 6th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Altria Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its stake in Altria Group by 420.0% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 462 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group in the third quarter worth $34,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MO opened at $56.05 on Monday. Altria Group has a one year low of $40.65 and a one year high of $60.18. The company has a market cap of $94.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.56, a PEG ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $55.72 and a 200 day simple moving average of $53.78.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 258.72% and a net margin of 46.90%. As a group, analysts expect that Altria Group will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be issued 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 payout ratio is currently 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.