Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Shares Down 0.9% - Should You Sell?

Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) fell 0.9% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $58.13 and last traded at $58.28. 2,402,323 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 73% from the average session volume of 8,871,572 shares. The stock had previously closed at $58.82.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MO has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 31st. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 target price on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $54.00.

Altria Group Trading Down 1.1 %

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $56.86 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $54.39. The firm has a market cap of $98.33 billion, a PE ratio of 8.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share (EPS) 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%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.02%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group's payout ratio is presently 62.29%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Financial Life Planners bought a new position in Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Inlight Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the first quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Marshall Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.

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.

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