Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Shares Sold by M&R Capital Management Inc.

M&R Capital Management Inc. trimmed its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 16.3% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,854 shares of the company’s stock after selling 556 shares during the period. M&R Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $124,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Altshuler Shaham Ltd bought a new stake in Altria Group during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. ZRC Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Altria Group by 67.6% during the 4th quarter. ZRC Wealth Management LLC now owns 677 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 273 shares during the last quarter. Criterion Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 1,800.0% in the 3rd quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. now owns 703 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 666 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pineridge Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of MO opened at $44.80 on Wednesday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $44.47 and its 200-day moving average is $42.52. The company has a market capitalization of $76.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.37, a P/E/G ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $39.06 and a fifty-two week high of $47.19.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The company reported $1.15 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.15. Altria Group had a net margin of 34.81% and a negative return on equity of 222.80%. The firm had revenue of $4.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.71 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.18 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 10th. Investors of record on Friday, June 14th will be issued a $0.98 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 14th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.75%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 82.01%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MO has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $50.00 price target on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Monday, March 25th. StockNews.com raised shares of Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. Argus upgraded shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 31st. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $36.10 to $36.50 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Monday, April 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Altria Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $46.90.

Insider Activity at Altria Group

In other news, VP Charles N. Whitaker sold 22,487 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.95, for a total transaction of $988,303.65. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 173,485 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,624,665.75. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

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.