Ameriflex Group Inc. Acquires New Position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Ameriflex Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 9,360 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $489,000.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group Stock Down 0.0%

Shares of Altria Group stock traded down $0.03 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $59.46. 2,354,862 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,632,489. The business has a fifty day moving average of $58.23 and a two-hundred day moving average of $55.80. The company has a market capitalization of $100.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.60. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $43.83 and a 1 year high of $61.26.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The company reported $1.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.19 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $4.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.64 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 46.90% and a negative return on equity of 258.72%. Altria Group's quarterly revenue was down 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.15 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 10th. Investors of record on Monday, June 16th will be given a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 16th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.86%. Altria Group's payout ratio is 68.34%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MO has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Barclays upped their target price on Altria Group from $46.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Friday, May 2nd. Needham & Company LLC upgraded shares of Altria Group to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 22nd. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, April 25th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Altria Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased 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. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Altria Group has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $56.00.

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.