Altria Group, Inc. $MO Shares Bought by Cwm LLC

Key Points

• Cwm LLC boosted its stake in Altria by 29.8% to 503,842 shares, valued at about $29.05 million at the end of the quarter.
• Altria declared a quarterly dividend of $1.06 (annualized $4.24) with a yield of 6.5%, while its dividend payout ratio stands at 103.16%, raising questions about sustainability.
• Analyst coverage is mixed — the consensus is a Hold with an average price target of $65.88 (five Buys, four Holds, two Sells).

Cwm LLC boosted its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) by 29.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 503,842 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 115,686 shares during the period. Cwm LLC's holdings in Altria Group were worth $29,052,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. EMC Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $33,000. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Gould Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $39,000. Finally, Elevation Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Altria Group by 79.0% during the 4th quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 630 shares of the company's stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 278 shares during the period. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

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

Altria Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Featured in dividend/high-yield roundups that can support demand from income-focused investors; such coverage helps explain interest in MO among yield-seeking flows. The $40,000 Dividend Raise Hiding in These Four Tickers on a $600k Account
• Positive Sentiment: Positive analyst/author view arguing Wall Street is warming to Altria’s pricing power and new-product potential — could underpin upside if execution continues. Altria: Wall Street Finally Came To Its Senses
• Neutral Sentiment: Company announced it will host a webcast for 2026 first‑quarter results — investors will get direct management commentary; this is the near-term catalyst to watch. Altria to Host Webcast of 2026 First-Quarter Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Pre-earnings previews expect a marginal rise in EPS this quarter; results (volumes, pricing, margin drivers) will determine near-term moves. What to Expect From Altria Group’s Q1 2026 Earnings Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks notes elevated investor searches and attention — higher retail/institutional focus can mean larger intraday moves around news. Investors Heavily Search Altria Group, Inc. (MO): Here is What You Need to Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Article about Keurig earnings included in the feed but is unrelated to MO; no direct impact. Keurig Gears Up for Q1 Earnings: Key Metrics Investors Should Track
• Negative Sentiment: Critical Seeking Alpha piece argues Altria’s growth runway is constrained and flags balance-sheet/valuation concerns — such narratives can pressure the stock and raise questions about dividend sustainability for some investors. Very Bad News For Altria: This Dividend King Is Running Out Of Runway

Insider Buying and Selling at Altria Group

In other 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 transaction, the senior vice president owned 180,869 shares in the company, valued at $12,221,318.33. This trade represents a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Altria Group Price Performance

NYSE MO opened at $64.95 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $108.56 billion, a PE ratio of 15.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.41. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $66.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $62.63. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $54.70 and a 1-year high of $70.51.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last released 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 firm had revenue of $5.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.02 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 29.84% and a negative return on equity of 287.61%. The business's revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.30 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be given a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.5%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 25th. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 103.16%.

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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report).

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.