Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC Lowers Stake in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC cut its holdings in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 17.8% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,117 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,322 shares during the period. Alliance Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $359,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Jacobi Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Altria Group by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Jacobi Capital Management LLC now owns 26,335 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,581,000 after buying an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. Vista Investment Partners II LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 4.2% during the first quarter. Vista Investment Partners II LLC now owns 4,302 shares of the company’s stock worth $258,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares during the period. Wealth Alliance LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 1.9% during the first quarter. Wealth Alliance LLC now owns 9,452 shares of the company’s stock worth $567,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares during the period. Patten & Patten Inc. TN lifted its holdings in Altria Group by 1.5% during the first quarter. Patten & Patten Inc. TN now owns 12,049 shares of the company’s stock valued at $723,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baron Silver Stevens Financial Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Altria Group by 2.7% in the first quarter. Baron Silver Stevens Financial Advisors LLC now owns 6,762 shares of the company’s stock valued at $406,000 after purchasing an additional 175 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of Altria Group stock opened at $65.58 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $64.68 and its 200-day simple moving average is $60.73. The stock has a market cap of $110.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.68, a P/E/G ratio of 3.53 and a beta of 0.59. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $48.86 and a 1-year high of $68.60.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 30th. The company reported $1.44 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $5.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.21 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 295.26% and a net margin of 37.24%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.31 earnings per share. Altria Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.350-5.450 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $1.06 per share. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 15th. This is a positive change from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.02. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 82.01%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on MO shares. Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Altria Group from $64.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on Altria Group in a research note on Wednesday, July 9th. They set an “underperform” rating and a $50.00 price objective for the company. UBS Group upgraded Altria Group from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and raised their target price for the company from $47.00 to $59.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 2nd. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Altria Group from $57.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 31st. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $72.00 price objective on Altria Group in a research note on Thursday, August 21st. Two 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $60.88.

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.