Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Receives $53.33 Consensus Target Price from Brokerages

Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) have earned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the eight analysts that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have given a hold recommendation and three have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $53.43.

Several research analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on shares of Altria Group in a report on Thursday, January 16th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $54.00 target price on the stock. Citigroup upped their target price on Altria Group from $44.50 to $48.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 8th. Barclays lifted their target price on Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st.

Altria Group Price Performance

MO opened at $51.47 on Wednesday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $54.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $52.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $87.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.69, a PEG ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group has a fifty-two week low of $39.25 and a fifty-two week high of $58.03.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $1.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.33 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 42.82% and a negative return on equity of 233.80%. Altria Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 18.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.28 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Altria Group will post 5.13 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 26th were given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 26th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is currently 68.92%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its stake in Altria Group by 163.6% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 50,862 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,317,000 after purchasing an additional 31,568 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 24.6% in the second quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 2,141,605 shares of the company’s stock valued at $97,550,000 after purchasing an additional 423,091 shares in the last quarter. One Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Altria Group by 1.2% during the second quarter. One Capital Management LLC now owns 22,257 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,014,000 after buying an additional 267 shares during the last quarter. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in Altria Group by 0.7% during the second quarter. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. now owns 54,703 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,492,000 after buying an additional 380 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI raised its position in Altria Group by 57.5% in the 2nd quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI now owns 21,865 shares of the company’s stock valued at $996,000 after buying an additional 7,983 shares during the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.