Key Points
- Altria SVP Charles Whitaker sold 27,908 shares at an average price of $67.57 for total proceeds of $1,885,743.56, trimming his ownership by 13.37% to 180,869 shares.
- Altria declared a quarterly dividend of $1.06 (annualized $4.24) with an ex‑dividend/record date of March 25, implying a 6.3% yield and a payout ratio of 103.16%.
- Analysts are mixed: the consensus rating is "Hold" with a consensus target price of $65.11, while recent price targets from firms ranged roughly from $57 to $74.
Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) SVP Charles Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of Altria Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total value of $1,885,743.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 180,869 shares in the company, valued at $12,221,318.33. The trade was a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.
Altria Group Stock Up 0.6%
Shares of Altria Group stock opened at $66.93 on Tuesday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $52.82 and a 12-month high of $70.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $111.91 billion, a PE ratio of 16.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.45. The stock's fifty day moving average is $63.44 and its 200-day moving average is $62.57.
Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.32 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a net margin of 29.84% and a negative return on equity of 287.61%. The company's revenue for the quarter was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.30 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.
Altria Group Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be given a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 25th. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 103.16%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Argus upgraded Altria Group to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Citigroup raised their target price on Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price target on Altria Group from $67.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Altria Group presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $65.11.
View Our Latest Analysis on MO
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Altria Group
Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group in the second quarter worth approximately $27,000. Navalign LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Country Trust Bank lifted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 400.0% in the 2nd quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 500 shares of the company's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Hughes Financial Services LLC boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 62.9% in the fourth quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 510 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.
Altria Group Company Profile
(
Get Free Report)
Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) is a U.S.-based consumer goods company whose principal business is the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company's operations are focused primarily on the U.S. market and include the production, marketing and distribution of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and cigars. Its flagship cigarette franchise in the United States is sold through its operating subsidiaries and is among the most recognizable cigarette brands in the country.
Altria's principal operating businesses include Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), U.S.
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