Altria Group, Inc. $MO Shares Bought by NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC

Key Points

• NorthCrest Asset Management increased its Altria stake by 201.4% in the third quarter, acquiring 14,928 additional shares and bringing its holdings to 22,340 shares valued at approximately $1.6 million. Institutional investors collectively own 57.41% of Altria.
• Altria raised its quarterly dividend to $1.11 per share, equivalent to a $4.44 annual payout and a 6.1% yield, though its payout ratio is high at 93.67%.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed, with a consensus “Hold” rating and an average price target of $70.11. The company faces long-term cigarette-volume declines and must expand smoke-free products, while its latest earnings slightly missed estimates despite modest revenue growth.

NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC grew its holdings in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) by 201.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 22,340 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 14,928 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC's holdings in Altria Group were worth $1,596,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC increased its position in Altria Group by 5.8% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 2,619 shares of the company's stock valued at $191,000 after buying an additional 143 shares in the last quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Altria Group by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC now owns 11,239 shares of the company's stock valued at $821,000 after acquiring an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. Bernardo Wealth Planning LLC lifted its position in shares of Altria Group by 4.6% during the second quarter. Bernardo Wealth Planning LLC now owns 3,379 shares of the company's stock valued at $243,000 after purchasing an additional 149 shares in the last quarter. Old Peak Finance LLC lifted its position in shares of Altria Group by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Old Peak Finance LLC now owns 11,920 shares of the company's stock worth $858,000 after buying an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC boosted its position in Altria Group by 0.7% in the second quarter. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC now owns 23,324 shares of the company's stock worth $1,678,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.

More Altria Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Altria outperformed a weak market in the latest session, indicating continued demand for its relatively defensive, income-oriented profile. Altria Ascends While Market Falls
• Positive Sentiment: Several dividend-focused articles identify Altria as an attractive high-yield stock because of its approximately 6% yield, established tobacco brands, pricing power and strong cash flow. One screening article specifically emphasizes that Altria’s payout is supported by cash rather than merely a high headline yield. High-Yield Dividend Stocks With Cash to Spare
• Positive Sentiment: Altria’s dividend and cash-generation profile compare favorably with other income stocks, supporting its appeal to investors seeking reliable current income despite modest growth prospects. Altria’s 6.2% Dividend Yield
• Neutral Sentiment: Altria is scheduled to report third-quarter results later this month. Analysts expect single-digit earnings growth, making the report a near-term test of whether pricing and cost controls can offset declining cigarette volumes. Altria Earnings Preview
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish analysis argues that Altria’s rally has moved ahead of underlying earnings growth. The view is that recent EPS support has come partly from tax benefits and discount brands rather than stronger core Marlboro performance; a cited fair value of $63.80 implies downside from current levels. Altria Rally Ahead of Earnings Growth
• Negative Sentiment: Structural risks remain: fewer consumers smoke, and Altria must successfully expand smoke-free products to sustain earnings. This creates concern that the high dividend yield may reflect limited long-term growth as well as income value. Altria Strong Sell Analysis

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MO has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Altria Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Sunday, June 21st. UBS Group lifted their target price on Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Monday. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $64.00 to $58.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, BTIG Research assumed coverage on Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. They issued a "neutral" rating on the stock. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Altria Group currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $70.11.

Insider Transactions at Altria Group

In other news, Director Kathryn McQuade acquired 1,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 9th. The stock was acquired 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 owned 114,929 shares in the company, valued at $7,771,498.98. This trade represents a 1.32% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Altria Group Trading Up 2.1%

Shares of NYSE:MO opened at $73.05 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $121.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 0.42. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $54.70 and a 12 month high of $77.06. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $68.38 and a 200-day moving average price of $69.53.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results 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 business had revenue of $5.36 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.35 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.44 EPS. Altria Group's revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.610-5.720 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.67 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 9th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were issued a dividend of $1.11 per share. This is a positive change from Altria Group's previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $4.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.1%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 93.67%.

About Altria Group

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.

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