Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Trading Down 0.4% - Time to Sell?

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) was down 0.4% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $56.00 and last traded at $56.11. Approximately 2,609,745 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 71% from the average daily volume of 8,992,695 shares. The stock had previously closed at $56.36.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MO has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Morgan Stanley decreased 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. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 price target on shares of Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $54.00.

Altria Group Trading Up 1.0 %

The firm has a market cap of $96.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $56.22 and its 200-day simple moving average is $54.06.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results 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 net margin of 46.90% and a negative return on equity of 258.72%. Analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

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Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business 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 dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.13%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio is 62.29%.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in MO. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its position in Altria Group by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,159,890 shares of the company's stock valued at $107,679,000 after buying an additional 46,697 shares in the last quarter. Czech National Bank increased its position in shares of Altria Group by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 367,469 shares of the company's stock valued at $19,215,000 after buying an additional 19,893 shares in the last quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 5.3% during the fourth quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 240,454 shares of the company's stock worth $12,573,000 after acquiring an additional 12,011 shares during the period. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB lifted its stake in Altria Group by 48.8% in the 3rd quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 89,761 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,581,000 after buying an additional 29,421 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Csenge Advisory Group boosted its stake in Altria Group by 29.1% during the 4th quarter. Csenge Advisory Group now owns 54,684 shares of the company's stock worth $2,859,000 after purchasing an additional 12,320 shares during the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is currently 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.