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

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report)'s share price fell 0.9% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $52.82 and last traded at $55.56. 5,796,441 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 35% from the average session volume of 8,930,144 shares. The stock had previously closed at $56.07.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on MO. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the company a "sell" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 target price on Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $54.00.

Altria Group Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $95.95 billion, a PE ratio of 8.64, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $56.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $54.00.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates 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, analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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Altria Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.19%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 62.29%.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. 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.