64,907 Altria Group, Inc. $MO Shares Sold by First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.

Key Points

• First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. reduced its Altria stake by 16.8%, selling 64,907 shares and retaining 321,708 shares valued at approximately $21.7 million. Institutional investors collectively own 57.41% of Altria.
• Altria increased its quarterly dividend from $1.06 to $1.11 per share, representing an annualized dividend of $4.44 and a 6.2% yield, though its payout ratio is high at 93.67%.
• Shares opened at $71.52, while analysts hold a consensus “Hold” rating with an average price target of $70.11. The company slightly missed quarterly EPS estimates but reported 1.2% year-over-year revenue growth and maintained 2026 EPS guidance of $5.61–$5.72.

First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. decreased its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) by 16.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 321,708 shares of the company's stock after selling 64,907 shares during the quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.'s holdings in Altria Group were worth $21,664,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 1.1% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 126,073,166 shares of the company's stock worth $9,070,964,000 after acquiring an additional 1,325,175 shares in the last quarter. GQG Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group during the second quarter valued at $1,806,782,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in Altria Group in the second quarter valued at about $1,104,566,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in Altria Group by 1.0% in the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 12,929,142 shares of the company's stock valued at $853,194,000 after purchasing an additional 133,676 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new position in Altria Group in the second quarter valued at about $631,606,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company's stock.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MO opened at $71.52 on Wednesday. Altria Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $54.70 and a fifty-two week high of $77.06. The business has a 50-day moving average of $68.28 and a two-hundred day moving average of $69.47. The stock has a market capitalization of $119.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.91, a P/E/G ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 0.42.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.48 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.50 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a net margin of 33.99% and a negative return on equity of 315.29%. The company had revenue of $5.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.35 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.44 EPS. The business's revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.610-5.720 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.67 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 9th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were given a dividend of $1.11 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 15th. This is an increase from Altria Group's previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. This represents a $4.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.2%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 93.67%.

Key Altria Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Investors are rotating toward tobacco stocks as the 10-year Treasury yield reaches a multidecade high, increasing demand for defensive companies with dependable cash distributions. Altria’s 4.7% dividend increase to $1.11 per share reinforces its income appeal. Investors Are Pushing Into Tobacco Stocks as Rate Concerns Return
• Positive Sentiment: Altria remains a popular high-yield income stock, and recent market weakness has made its yield appear more attractive relative to lower-yielding alternatives. Its dividend is viewed as secure because of strong free cash flow and a conservative balance sheet. 5 High-Yield Dividend Stocks That Could Turn October’s Market Weakness Into Income
• Neutral Sentiment: Management’s 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $5.61 to $5.72 signals confidence in near-term earnings, while Altria’s extension of its credit agreement supports financial flexibility. However, the company’s outlook for revenue growth remains muted. Altria Group Still Has A Long Way To Go
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts argue that Altria’s rally has moved ahead of its fundamental growth. Recent EPS improvement has reportedly benefited from tax refunds and discount brands rather than stronger core Marlboro performance, leading to a sell rating and a fair-value estimate of $63.80. Altria: The Rally Looks Ahead Of Underlying Earnings Growth
• Negative Sentiment: Traditional cigarette declines and the still-small contribution from oral nicotine products such as on! create longer-term growth concerns. Although Altria offers a higher yield than Philip Morris, that premium may reflect greater business risk for income-focused investors. PM vs. MO: Which Tobacco Dividend to Trust for the Next Decade

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Barclays dropped their target price on Altria Group from $64.00 to $58.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Wall Street Zen lowered Altria Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Sunday, June 21st. Freedom Broker raised Altria Group to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. UBS Group boosted their price target on Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, BTIG Research began coverage on Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. They issued a "neutral" rating on the stock. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $70.11.

Insider Transactions at Altria Group

In related news, Director Kathryn McQuade purchased 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 9th. The shares were bought at an average price of $67.62 per share, for a total transaction of $101,430.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 114,929 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,771,498.98. This trade represents a 1.32% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Altria Group Company Profile

Altria Group, Inc is a U.S.-based holding company focused primarily on tobacco and nicotine products. Through its operating companies, Altria manufactures and markets cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, oral nicotine products and electronic cigarettes. Its portfolio includes well-known brands such as Marlboro cigarettes, Copenhagen and Skoal smokeless tobacco, Black & Mild cigars, NJOY e-cigarettes and on! nicotine pouches.

Altria's principal businesses include Philip Morris USA, the largest 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.