Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Trading 2.7% Higher - What's Next?

Key Points

• Shares rose 2.7% intraday to $67.76 on Tuesday with volume modestly above average, following a prior close of $66.00.
• Altria reported Q1 EPS of $1.30 (missed by $0.02) while revenue of $5.08B modestly beat expectations, and it declared a quarterly dividend of $1.06 (annual yield ~6.3%) with a payout ratio around 103%.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed — the consensus rating is "Hold" with an average target of $65.88, as optimism about pricing and cost control is balanced by concerns over declining smokeable volumes and regulatory/structural risks.

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) shares were up 2.7% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $68.12 and last traded at $67.7610. Approximately 10,159,546 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 3% from the average daily volume of 9,831,825 shares. The stock had previously closed at $66.00.

Altria Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect a modest Q1 beat/outlook support as pricing strength and cost control offset lower smokeable volumes, which markets view as evidence of resilient near‑term earnings. Altria Q1 Earnings on the Horizon Zacks Q1 Preview
• Positive Sentiment: Company press release highlights fresh investment in growers, employees and iconic brands — messaging that can support long‑term brand strength and reassure income investors about capital allocation priorities. Altria Celebrates America (Business Wire)
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation/timing debate: a recent Yahoo piece walks through whether MO still offers value after a ~21% one‑year rally — the article outlines both upside potential and that much of the rally may already be priced in, which tempers enthusiasm. Is It Too Late To Consider Altria?
• Neutral Sentiment: Income/utility narrative continues to attract attention as roundups highlight high‑yield/dividend stocks; this helps demand from income-focused ETFs and retail buyers but is not an immediate earnings catalyst. 3 Passive Income Stocks That Will Pad Your Wallet
• Negative Sentiment: Structural risks remain — ongoing volume declines in smokeable products and any cost or regulatory headwinds could cap upside; investors should watch Q1 details for volume trends and guidance. Unveiling Altria Q1 Outlook

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have commented on MO shares. Barclays lifted their price target on Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Argus raised shares of Altria Group to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an "underperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Bank of America raised their price objective on Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Altria Group from $67.00 to $74.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, March 9th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $65.88.

Altria Group Price Performance

The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $66.55 and a 200-day simple moving average of $62.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $113.25 billion, a PE ratio of 16.49, a P/E/G ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.41.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.32 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 287.61% and a net margin of 29.84%.The company had revenue of $5.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.02 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.30 earnings per share. The business's revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be paid a dividend of $1.06 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.3%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 103.16%.

Insider Activity

In other Altria Group news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total value of $1,885,743.56. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 180,869 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $12,221,318.33. This trade represents a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. CWA Asset Management Group LLC boosted its stake in Altria Group by 8.6% in the 3rd quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 335,418 shares of the company's stock worth $22,158,000 after purchasing an additional 26,624 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Altria Group by 1.3% in the third quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 3,522,209 shares of the company's stock worth $232,677,000 after buying an additional 44,303 shares during the period. Viking Fund Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 14.1% during the fourth quarter. Viking Fund Management LLC now owns 202,000 shares of the company's stock valued at $11,647,000 after buying an additional 25,000 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in Altria Group by 7.2% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 12,073,682 shares of the company's stock valued at $797,587,000 after buying an additional 814,665 shares during the period. Finally, Silver Oak Securities Incorporated raised its position in Altria Group by 155.4% during the third quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 31,220 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,062,000 after buying an additional 18,997 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.

Altria Group Company 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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.