Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Stock Price Up 0% - Here's Why

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report)'s stock price rose 0% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $51.13 and last traded at $50.87. Approximately 1,203,824 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 80% from the average daily volume of 6,000,031 shares. The stock had previously closed at $50.85.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MO has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. StockNews.com raised Altria Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Bank of America upgraded shares of Altria Group from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their target price for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, December 6th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $53.33.

Altria Group Price Performance

The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $54.44 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $51.92. The firm has a market cap of $86.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.67, a PEG ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 0.64.

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

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 26th were paid a $1.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 26th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.95%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 68.92%.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MO. Aviance Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in Altria Group by 0.5% during the third quarter. Aviance Capital Partners LLC now owns 40,362 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,060,000 after buying an additional 191 shares during the period. Delta Investment Management LLC grew its stake in Altria Group by 2.9% in the second quarter. Delta Investment Management LLC now owns 7,064 shares of the company's stock valued at $322,000 after purchasing an additional 198 shares during the last quarter. Fragasso Financial Advisors Inc lifted its position in shares of Altria Group by 3.3% during the fourth quarter. Fragasso Financial Advisors Inc now owns 6,302 shares of the company's stock valued at $330,000 after buying an additional 199 shares during the last quarter. American Institute for Advanced Investment Management LLP lifted its position in shares of Altria Group by 3.5% during the third quarter. American Institute for Advanced Investment Management LLP now owns 5,860 shares of the company's stock valued at $299,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ridgecrest Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. Ridgecrest Wealth Partners LLC now owns 5,851 shares of the company's stock valued at $299,000 after buying an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. 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.