KBC Group NV Sells 8,217 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. $MO

KBC Group NV lessened its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 5.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 146,088 shares of the company’s stock after selling 8,217 shares during the period. KBC Group NV’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $10,511,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its stake in Altria Group by 5.8% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 2,619 shares of the company’s stock worth $191,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares in the last quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 1.3% during the second quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC now owns 11,239 shares of the company’s stock valued at $821,000 after acquiring an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. Bernardo Wealth Planning LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 4.6% in the second quarter. Bernardo Wealth Planning LLC now owns 3,379 shares of the company’s stock valued at $243,000 after purchasing an additional 149 shares during the period. Old Peak Finance LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 1.3% in the second quarter. Old Peak Finance LLC now owns 11,920 shares of the company’s stock valued at $858,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares during the period. Finally, Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 0.7% in the second quarter. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC now owns 23,324 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,678,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have commented on the company. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on Altria Group from $60.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, May 4th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Altria Group from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $70.11.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Ennis Debra J. Kelly sold 5,790 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.25, for a total transaction of $418,327.50. Following the sale, the director owned 73,809 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,332,700.25. The trade was a 7.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Ellen R. Strahlman sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.56, for a total transaction of $145,120.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 25,102 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,821,401.12. This trade represents a 7.38% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Altria Group Trading Up 1.4%

NYSE MO opened at $66.08 on Thursday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $54.70 and a 12-month high of $77.06. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $70.41 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $68.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $110.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 0.46.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.48 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.50 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 315.29% and a net margin of 33.99%.The business had revenue of $5.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.35 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.44 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.610-5.720 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.