Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Price Target Raised to $74.00

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) had its price target hoisted by UBS Group from $67.00 to $74.00 in a report released on Monday morning,Benzinga reports. UBS Group currently has a buy rating on the stock.

Several other brokerages have also recently commented on MO. Stifel Nicolaus decreased 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 lifted their price target on Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Argus raised shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Altria Group currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $65.11.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of MO opened at $66.34 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $110.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.14, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.45. Altria Group has a one year low of $52.82 and a one year high of $70.51. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $63.80 and its 200-day simple moving average is $62.60.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released 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). Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 287.61% and a net margin of 29.84%.During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.30 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Altria Group will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The company 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 is Wednesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.4%. Altria Group’s payout ratio is presently 103.16%.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the company’s 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 transaction, the senior vice president owned 180,869 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,221,318.33. This represents a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.08% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MO. CWA Asset Management Group LLC boosted its stake in Altria Group by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 335,418 shares of the company’s stock worth $22,158,000 after acquiring an additional 26,624 shares during the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. increased its stake in Altria Group by 1.3% in the third 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 in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in Altria Group by 7.2% in the third 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 during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Altria Group by 1.0% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 159,717,148 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,364,216,000 after purchasing an additional 1,599,923 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Silver Oak Securities Incorporated boosted its position in shares of Altria Group by 155.4% during 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 in the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Altria Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Altria Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $74 and kept a Buy rating, citing slower-than-expected US cigarette volume declines and reinforcing a favorable outlook for Altria’s cash generation. UBS Boosts Altria (MO) Price Target, Sees Slower Industry Cigarette Volume Declines
• Positive Sentiment: Altria confirmed a quarterly dividend of $1.06 (payable Apr 30; record Mar 25), sustaining a ~6% yield that supports income-focused demand for the shares. How UBS’s Reaffirmed Rating Amid Dividend Steadiness At Altria Group (MO) Has Changed Its Investment Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Several outlets and analysts continue to flag Altria as a high‑yield / momentum name, which can attract longer‑term income buyers even as near‑term volatility persists. Here’s Why Altria (MO) is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Negative Sentiment: An insider (SVP Charles Whitaker) sold ~27,908 shares (~$1.9M), which can trigger concern or short‑term selling pressure even if pre‑arranged. Altria Group (NYSE:MO) SVP Sells $1,885,743.56 in Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Latest quarter showed a small EPS miss and slight revenue decline year‑over‑year amid continuing cigarette volume headwinds — fundamentals that cap upside until volumes/stabilization improve. Altria (MO) Registers a Bigger Fall Than the Market: Important Facts to Note
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage is mixed — UBS upgraded/raised its target, but other firms have varied targets and several holds; consensus remains around a Hold with a mid‑$60s target, so directional conviction is split. MarketBeat MO Profile & Analyst Data

About Altria Group

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.