Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Shares Sold by First Horizon Advisors Inc.

First Horizon Advisors Inc. decreased its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 8.6% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 22,101 shares of the company’s stock after selling 2,085 shares during the period. First Horizon Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $1,156,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in MO. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC grew its holdings in Altria Group by 420.0% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 462 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Kestra Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at $40,000. Finally, Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 3rd quarter worth $41,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Stock Up 1.2 %

NYSE:MO opened at $55.01 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $93.22 billion, a PE ratio of 8.40, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $39.25 and a 52-week high of $58.03. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $52.61 and its 200 day moving average price is $52.75.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 258.72% and a net margin of 46.90%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 26th were given a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.42%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 26th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is currently 62.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently commented on MO shares. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Barclays raised their target price on Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Bank of America raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $53.29.

Altria Group Company Profile

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.