Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Hold" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Altria Group (NYSE:MO) has received a consensus recommendation of "Hold" from nine research firms, with two analysts rating it as a sell, five as hold, and two as buy.
• The company recently declared a quarterly dividend increase to $1.06 per share, representing an annualized dividend yield of 6.4%.
• Altria Group reported earnings of $1.44 per share for the last quarter, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.37, and posted revenue growth of 0.2% year-over-year.

Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of "Hold" from the nine research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have assigned a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $60.8750.

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on MO shares. Barclays lifted their target price on Altria Group from $49.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 6th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Altria Group in a report on Wednesday, July 9th. They set an "underperform" rating and a $50.00 price objective on the stock. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Altria Group from $57.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 31st. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $64.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 22nd. Finally, Needham & Company LLC upgraded shares of Altria Group to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 22nd.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Mattson Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. bought a new position in Altria Group during the second quarter worth $25,000. Carderock Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Altria Group in the second quarter worth $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group during the second quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Country Trust Bank raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 400.0% during the second quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 500 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares during the period. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Altria Group Trading Down 0.1%

NYSE MO opened at $66.38 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $111.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.84, a PEG ratio of 3.57 and a beta of 0.59. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $61.53 and its 200-day simple moving average is $59.05. Altria Group has a 52 week low of $48.86 and a 52 week high of $68.60.

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

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The business 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. 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. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.4%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio is 78.92%.

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.

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