Altria Group, Inc. $MO Shares Acquired by Public Sector Pension Investment Board

Public Sector Pension Investment Board increased its position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 13.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 144,725 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 17,429 shares during the period. Public Sector Pension Investment Board’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $9,561,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Country Trust Bank raised its position in Altria Group by 400.0% in the second quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 500 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Altria Group by 334.7% in the second quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 539 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 415 shares during the period. Winnow Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group in the second quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 2nd quarter worth $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on MO. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on shares of Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 30th. Argus upgraded shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Altria Group from $63.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Altria Group presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $63.67.

Altria Group Trading Up 0.3%

NYSE:MO opened at $67.23 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $60.60 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $62.24. Altria Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $52.46 and a twelve month high of $68.60. The company has a market capitalization of $112.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.71 and a beta of 0.47.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.32 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a net margin of 29.84% and a negative return on equity of 287.61%. The business had revenue of $5.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.02 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.30 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group announced that its board has initiated a stock buyback program on Thursday, October 30th that permits the company to buyback $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to purchase up to 1.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 9th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 26th were given a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.3%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 26th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 103.16%.

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.