Analysts Set Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Price Target at $62.33

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) has earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the eleven ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have given a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $62.3333.

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Altria Group from $64.00 to $72.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $72.00 price objective on Altria Group in a research note on Thursday, August 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Altria Group from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price target on Altria Group from $68.00 to $61.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 31st.

Altria Group Stock Performance

NYSE MO opened at $58.69 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $60.76 and a 200-day moving average price of $61.76. Altria Group has a one year low of $50.08 and a one year high of $68.60. The company has a market capitalization of $98.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.20, a P/E/G ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 0.48.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $1.45 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.01. Altria Group had a net margin of 37.89% and a negative return on equity of 319.43%. The company had revenue of $5.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.31 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.38 earnings per share. Altria Group’s quarterly revenue was down 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Altria Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.370-5.45 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Altria Group will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 9th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 26th will be issued a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 26th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 80.92%.

Altria Group declared that its board has approved a stock buyback program on Thursday, October 30th that authorizes the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to reacquire up to 1.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Mattson Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. purchased a new position in Altria Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Carderock Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in Altria Group in the second quarter worth approximately $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the second quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Country Trust Bank boosted its position in Altria Group by 400.0% during the 2nd quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.