Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Trading 0.3% Higher – Should You Buy?

Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) rose 0.3% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $58.56 and last traded at $58.46. Approximately 1,426,597 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 83% from the average daily volume of 8,466,394 shares. The stock had previously closed at $58.30.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have commented on MO. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Bank of America upgraded Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $53.29.

Altria Group Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $98.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $54.94 and a 200-day moving average price of $53.57.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share (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 forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.00%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is 62.29%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Financial Life Planners bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its position in 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 buying an additional 462 shares during the last quarter. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Marshall Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.