Altria Group, Inc. $MO Position Lowered by Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC

Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC reduced its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 15.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 44,023 shares of the company’s stock after selling 7,918 shares during the quarter. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $2,538,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of MO. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. EMC Capital Management purchased a new position in Altria Group in the 3rd quarter worth about $33,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in Altria Group by 79.0% during the 4th quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 630 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 278 shares during the period. Gould Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the third quarter valued at about $39,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group in the second quarter worth approximately $39,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Stock Performance

MO opened at $66.46 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $111.11 billion, a PE ratio of 16.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.45. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $65.60 and a 200-day moving average of $62.49. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $52.82 and a 52-week high of $70.51.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.32 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $5.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.02 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 287.61% and a net margin of 29.84%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.30 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be paid a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.4%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 25th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 103.16%.

Altria Group News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Altria Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FDA pilot authorization and national rollout of on! PLUS nicotine pouches expands Altria’s smoke‑free product presence and gives the company an FDA‑cleared next‑gen oral nicotine product to sell nationwide—this supports revenue diversification beyond combustibles and is being cited as a primary catalyst. Altria Expands On! PLUS As FDA Pilot Nod Meets Valuation Debate
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large call‑option buying has been reported, indicating speculative or institutional bullish positioning that can amplify near‑term share gains. Traders Purchase Large Volume of Call Options on Altria Group (NYSE:MO)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary note tobacco names (including MO) are showing resilience by growing smoke‑free portfolios and adapting to consumer shifts—this sector-level stability supports investor confidence. 3 Tobacco Stocks Showing Resilience Amid Market Headwinds
• Neutral Sentiment: MO continues to attract income investors: it appears in recent roundups of high‑yield S&P 500 stocks, which can support steady demand from dividend‑focused buyers even if growth is limited. 22 S&P 500 Stocks Yield More Than 5%. 6 That Are Worth Buying.
• Neutral Sentiment: Market roundups and same‑day coverage (Zacks, The Motley Fool, Yahoo) note MO’s outperformance while broader indexes slipped—these are summaries of intraday drivers rather than new company fundamentals. Why the Market Dipped But Altria (MO) Gained Today Why Altria Stock Closed Up Today
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage highlights a valuation debate—questions whether the stock already prices in the yield and the new product’s upside—suggesting upside could be capped until the market sees sustained sales/profit gains from on! PLUS. Altria Expands On! PLUS As FDA Pilot Nod Meets Valuation Debate

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Altria Group news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of Altria Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total transaction of $1,885,743.56. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 180,869 shares in the company, valued at $12,221,318.33. The trade was a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently commented on MO shares. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. UBS Group lifted their price target on Altria Group from $67.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Argus upgraded Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Altria Group currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $65.11.

Altria Group Profile

Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) is a U.S.-based consumer goods company whose principal business is the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company’s operations are focused primarily on the U.S. market and include the production, marketing and distribution of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and cigars. Its flagship cigarette franchise in the United States is sold through its operating subsidiaries and is among the most recognizable cigarette brands in the country.

Altria’s principal operating businesses include Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), U.S.