Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Shares Sold by HM Payson & Co.

HM Payson & Co. lowered its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 3.1% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 46,122 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,452 shares during the period. HM Payson & Co.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $2,412,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of MO. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC lifted its stake in Altria Group by 420.0% in the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 462 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Promus Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Trading Up 1.4 %

Shares of NYSE MO opened at $57.79 on Friday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $40.65 and a 12-month high of $58.59. The company has a market cap of $97.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.82, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $53.15 and a 200 day moving average price of $53.10.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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, sell-side analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.06%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 62.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on MO shares. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Bank of America upgraded Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Two 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 data from MarketBeat, Altria Group presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $53.29.

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.