Mizuho Securities USA LLC Boosts Stock Position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Mizuho Securities USA LLC grew its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 45.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 160,630 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 49,990 shares during the period. Mizuho Securities USA LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $8,399,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Virtu Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 4.6% in the fourth quarter. Virtu Financial LLC now owns 41,834 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,187,000 after purchasing an additional 1,848 shares during the period. Millstone Evans Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $83,000. Wayfinding Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $346,000. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. now owns 23,415 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,224,000 after purchasing an additional 335 shares during the period. Finally, Independent Solutions Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 6.1% in the fourth quarter. Independent Solutions Wealth Management LLC now owns 56,436 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,951,000 after purchasing an additional 3,234 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on MO shares. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Bank of America raised shares of Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $53.29.

Altria Group Stock Down 1.1 %

MO opened at $57.46 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $97.14 billion, a PE ratio of 8.77, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $40.65 and a 52 week high of $59.67. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $54.42 and its 200 day simple moving average is $53.47.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.10%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 62.29%.

Altria Group 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.