Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Stock Price Up 1.3% – Time to Buy?

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)’s share price traded up 1.3% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $53.43 and last traded at $53.37. 1,301,489 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 82% from the average session volume of 7,408,479 shares. The stock had previously closed at $52.66.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MO has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on Altria Group from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Bank of America upgraded shares of Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Finally, Barclays upped their target price on Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Altria Group presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $53.29.

Altria Group Stock Down 0.9 %

The firm has a 50 day moving average of $52.96 and a 200 day moving average of $52.54. The firm has a market cap of $90.42 billion, a PE ratio of 8.15, a P/E/G ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.64.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued 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%. On average, research analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 26th were given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.65%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 26th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 62.29%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Altria Group

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in MO. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 420.0% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 462 shares during the period. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.