Dai ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd Lowers Holdings in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Dai ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd lowered its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 6.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 134,668 shares of the company’s stock after selling 9,674 shares during the quarter. Dai ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $8,887,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Navalign LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Hughes Financial Services LLC lifted its holdings in Altria Group by 62.9% during the 4th quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 510 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Miller Capital Partners Inc. purchased a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Altria Group Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of NYSE MO opened at $72.96 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $71.91 and a 200 day moving average price of $67.75. The stock has a market cap of $121.84 billion, a PE ratio of 15.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.45. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $54.70 and a 52-week high of $75.28.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.07. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 298.69% and a net margin of 34.34%.The company had revenue of $4.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.58 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.23 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were issued a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is presently 88.70%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Altria Group news, Director Ellen R. Strahlman sold 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on 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 directly owned 25,102 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,821,401.12. This trade represents a 7.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Ennis Debra J. Kelly sold 5,790 shares of Altria Group stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.25, for a total transaction of $418,327.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 73,809 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,332,700.25. This represents a 7.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Altria Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Altria is approaching earnings with expectations for higher revenue and year-over-year EPS growth, which supports the case for continued fundamental strength. Altria Group (MO) Nears Earnings, Is The Recent Rally Already Priced In?
• Positive Sentiment: The stock has outperformed over the past year, helped by a strong year-to-date gain and solid total shareholder return, reinforcing momentum around the name. Altria Group (MO) Nears Earnings, Is The Recent Rally Already Priced In?
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple pre-earnings previews say investors should not assume a blowout report, noting Altria does not appear to have the strongest setup for an earnings beat. Altria (MO) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week’s Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Shares are being compared with consumer staples peers, with coverage suggesting the stock’s relative performance is a key focus rather than a major new catalyst. Is Altria Group (MO) Stock Outpacing Its Consumer Staples Peers This Year?
• Negative Sentiment: One analyst report downgraded Altria, arguing that the stock’s strong outperformance has made it look expensive, which could pressure valuation sentiment. Altria: Outperformance Makes It Pricey (Rating Downgrade)

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MO has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group lifted their target price on Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Barclays increased their price target on Altria Group from $63.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Bank of America lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $77.00 target price on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $70.78.

Altria Group Company Profile

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.