Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Shares Down 0.9% - Time to Sell?

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) traded down 0.9% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $58.13 and last traded at $58.28. 2,402,323 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 73% from the average session volume of 8,871,572 shares. The stock had previously closed at $58.82.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MO has been the subject of several research reports. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Altria Group from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 31st. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $60.00 target price on Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $55.00.

Altria Group Trading Down 0.7 %

The firm's 50 day moving average price is $57.19 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $54.57. The company has a market capitalization of $98.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.54.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 258.72% and a net margin of 46.90%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.00%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group's payout ratio is 62.29%.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Financial Life Planners bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Inlight Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group in the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. 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.