Schroder Investment Management Group Has $17.27 Million Stock Position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Schroder Investment Management Group trimmed its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) by 12.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 331,536 shares of the company's stock after selling 45,469 shares during the quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group's holdings in Altria Group were worth $17,266,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the third quarter valued at $34,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group Price Performance

MO traded down $0.35 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $55.72. 16,826,092 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,972,491. The company has a market cap of $94.21 billion, a PE ratio of 8.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54. Altria Group, Inc. has a one year low of $40.65 and a one year high of $60.18. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $55.77 and its 200-day simple moving average is $53.86.

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Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results 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%. On average, research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

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 paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.32%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.29%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently issued reports on MO. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 price objective on Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. UBS Group raised their price target 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, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of 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. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price 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.