Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Stock Holdings Decreased by Tacita Capital Inc

Tacita Capital Inc reduced its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 37.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,012 shares of the company’s stock after selling 600 shares during the period. Tacita Capital Inc’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $53,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in MO. Financial Advocates Investment Management purchased a new position in Altria Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $209,000. Gladstone Institutional Advisory LLC grew its position in Altria Group by 9.6% during the third quarter. Gladstone Institutional Advisory LLC now owns 11,421 shares of the company’s stock valued at $583,000 after purchasing an additional 999 shares in the last quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC grew its position in Altria Group by 21.4% during the third quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 14,090 shares of the company’s stock valued at $702,000 after purchasing an additional 2,485 shares in the last quarter. Pure Financial Advisors LLC grew its position in Altria Group by 122.1% during the third quarter. Pure Financial Advisors LLC now owns 16,652 shares of the company’s stock valued at $850,000 after purchasing an additional 9,155 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. grew its position in Altria Group by 5.4% during the third quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 25,664 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,310,000 after purchasing an additional 1,321 shares in the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently commented on MO. StockNews.com raised shares of Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, December 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $53.29.

Altria Group Trading Up 2.6 %

Shares of Altria Group stock opened at $57.33 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $52.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of $52.96. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $39.25 and a 1-year high of $58.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $96.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.75, a PEG ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.64.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a net margin of 46.90% and a negative return on equity of 258.72%. As a group, research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is currently 62.29%.

About Altria Group

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.