Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO – Free Report) by 10.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 895,944 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 87,826 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC owned 0.05% of Altria Group worth $51,660,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. CWA Asset Management Group LLC lifted its position in Altria Group by 8.6% in the 3rd quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 335,418 shares of the company’s stock valued at $22,158,000 after acquiring an additional 26,624 shares in the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. boosted its stake in Altria Group by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 3,522,209 shares of the company’s stock valued at $232,677,000 after purchasing an additional 44,303 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in Altria Group by 7.2% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 12,073,682 shares of the company’s stock worth $797,587,000 after purchasing an additional 814,665 shares in the last quarter. Viking Fund Management LLC increased its holdings in Altria Group by 14.1% during the 4th quarter. Viking Fund Management LLC now owns 202,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $11,647,000 after purchasing an additional 25,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Silver Oak Securities Incorporated raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 155.4% in the third quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 31,220 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,062,000 after purchasing an additional 18,997 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 30th. Barclays increased their price target on Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. UBS Group raised their price objective on Altria Group from $67.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 9th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, Argus upgraded shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $65.11.
Altria Group Stock Up 2.8%
Shares of NYSE MO opened at $66.46 on Friday. Altria Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $52.82 and a twelve month high of $70.51. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $65.60 and its 200-day moving average price is $62.54. The company has a market capitalization of $111.11 billion, a PE ratio of 16.17, a PEG ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.45.
Altria Group (NYSE:MO – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.32 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $5.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.02 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 29.84% and a negative return on equity of 287.61%. The business’s revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.30 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Altria Group Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be given a dividend of $1.06 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.4%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 103.16%.
Insider Activity at Altria Group
In other news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of Altria Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total transaction of $1,885,743.56. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 180,869 shares in the company, valued at $12,221,318.33. The trade was a 13.37% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.08% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Altria Group News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Altria Group this week:
- Positive Sentiment: FDA pilot authorization and national rollout of on! PLUS nicotine pouches expands Altria’s smoke‑free product presence and gives the company an FDA‑cleared next‑gen oral nicotine product to sell nationwide—this supports revenue diversification beyond combustibles and is being cited as a primary catalyst. Altria Expands On! PLUS As FDA Pilot Nod Meets Valuation Debate
- Positive Sentiment: Unusually large call‑option buying has been reported, indicating speculative or institutional bullish positioning that can amplify near‑term share gains. Traders Purchase Large Volume of Call Options on Altria Group (NYSE:MO)
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary note tobacco names (including MO) are showing resilience by growing smoke‑free portfolios and adapting to consumer shifts—this sector-level stability supports investor confidence. 3 Tobacco Stocks Showing Resilience Amid Market Headwinds
- Neutral Sentiment: MO continues to attract income investors: it appears in recent roundups of high‑yield S&P 500 stocks, which can support steady demand from dividend‑focused buyers even if growth is limited. 22 S&P 500 Stocks Yield More Than 5%. 6 That Are Worth Buying.
- Neutral Sentiment: Market roundups and same‑day coverage (Zacks, The Motley Fool, Yahoo) note MO’s outperformance while broader indexes slipped—these are summaries of intraday drivers rather than new company fundamentals. Why the Market Dipped But Altria (MO) Gained Today Why Altria Stock Closed Up Today
- Negative Sentiment: Some coverage highlights a valuation debate—questions whether the stock already prices in the yield and the new product’s upside—suggesting upside could be capped until the market sees sustained sales/profit gains from on! PLUS. Altria Expands On! PLUS As FDA Pilot Nod Meets Valuation Debate
Altria Group Profile
Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) is a U.S.-based consumer goods company whose principal business is the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company’s operations are focused primarily on the U.S. market and include the production, marketing and distribution of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and cigars. Its flagship cigarette franchise in the United States is sold through its operating subsidiaries and is among the most recognizable cigarette brands in the country.
Altria’s principal operating businesses include Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), U.S.
See Also
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