Brokerages Set Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Price Target at $53.33

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) has been given a consensus rating of "Hold" by the seven analysts that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $53.33.

Several analysts have recently issued reports on MO shares. Barclays increased their target price on Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. StockNews.com raised Altria Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Altria Group from $44.50 to $48.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price objective on Altria Group from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 420.0% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 462 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the third quarter worth about $34,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in Altria Group in the 3rd quarter worth about $41,000. Fairman Group LLC increased its stake in Altria Group by 85.1% in the 3rd quarter. Fairman Group LLC now owns 892 shares of the company's stock valued at $46,000 after buying an additional 410 shares during the last quarter. Finally, IFS Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Altria Group by 330.4% during the 4th quarter. IFS Advisors LLC now owns 977 shares of the company's stock worth $51,000 after buying an additional 750 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Altria Group stock traded down $0.32 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $51.04. The stock had a trading volume of 7,024,455 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,712,501. The stock has a market capitalization of $86.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group has a 1-year low of $39.25 and a 1-year high of $58.03. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $54.44 and its 200-day simple moving average is $51.92.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $1.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.35 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.26 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.33 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 42.82% and a negative return on equity of 233.80%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 18.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.28 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Altria Group will post 5.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 26th were given a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 26th. Altria Group's payout ratio is presently 68.92%.

Altria Group Company Profile

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.