Fmr LLC Trims Stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

FMR LLC decreased its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) by 0.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 5,282,181 shares of the company's stock after selling 34,870 shares during the period. FMR LLC owned approximately 0.31% of Altria Group worth $276,205,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in Altria Group by 2.2% in the third 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 during the period. Czech National Bank grew 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 purchasing an additional 19,893 shares in the last quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC raised its position in shares of Altria Group by 5.3% in the fourth quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 240,454 shares of the company's stock worth $12,573,000 after buying an additional 12,011 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 48.8% in the 3rd quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 89,761 shares of the company's stock worth $4,581,000 after buying an additional 29,421 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Csenge Advisory Group raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 29.1% during the 4th quarter. Csenge Advisory Group now owns 54,684 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,859,000 after buying an additional 12,320 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.

Remove Ads

Altria Group Price Performance

NYSE MO traded up $0.49 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $57.62. The company's stock had a trading volume of 3,392,212 shares, compared to its average volume of 9,001,506. Altria Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $40.65 and a fifty-two week high of $60.18. The company has a market cap of $97.42 billion, a PE ratio of 8.80, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $56.31 and its 200-day simple moving average is $54.10.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share 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 expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be given a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.08%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 62.29%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of 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 upped 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. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 price objective on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Altria Group currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $54.00.

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.