WealthCare Asset Management LLC Sells 8,464 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. $MO

WealthCare Asset Management LLC cut its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 28.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 21,768 shares of the company’s stock after selling 8,464 shares during the period. Altria Group makes up about 1.3% of WealthCare Asset Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 22nd largest holding. WealthCare Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $1,466,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Comprehensive Financial Planning Inc. PA purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Cornerstone National Bank & Trust Co acquired a new stake in Altria Group during the third quarter worth about $33,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its position in Altria Group by 78.8% during the first quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 524 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 231 shares during the last quarter. Evolution Advisers Inc. raised its stake in Altria Group by 110.9% during the second quarter. Evolution Advisers Inc. now owns 578 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 304 shares during the period. Finally, GK Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the third quarter worth about $43,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Altria Group

In related news, Director Kathryn McQuade purchased 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 9th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $67.62 per share, for a total transaction of $101,430.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 114,929 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,771,498.98. The trade was a 1.32% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. BTIG Research assumed coverage on shares of Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Altria Group from $64.00 to $58.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Freedom Broker upgraded shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 16th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $70.11.

Altria Group Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of Altria Group stock opened at $73.58 on Tuesday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $54.70 and a 52 week high of $77.06. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $69.52 and its 200-day simple moving average is $68.28. The firm has a market cap of $122.86 billion, a PE ratio of 15.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.42.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its quarterly earnings results 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). The business had revenue of $5.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.35 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 315.29% and a net margin of 33.99%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.44 earnings per share. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.610-5.720 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.67 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 9th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were given a dividend of $1.11 per share. This is a boost from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. This represents a $4.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 15th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 93.67%.

Altria Group Company Profile

Altria Group, Inc is a U.S.-based consumer products company focused primarily on tobacco, nicotine and related products. Through its operating companies, Altria sells cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, oral tobacco and nicotine products, and electronic vapor products.

Altria’s principal cigarette business is Philip Morris USA, whose portfolio includes Marlboro, Parliament and Virginia Slims. Its other major brands include Copenhagen and Skoal moist smokeless tobacco, Black & Mild cigars, on! nicotine pouches and NJOY electronic cigarettes.