Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. Acquires 76,275 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Key Points

• Cambridge Investment Research Advisors increased its stake in Altria Group by 10.9% in the fourth quarter, buying 76,275 additional shares and bringing its total holdings to 777,191 shares worth about $44.8 million.
• Altria reported strong quarterly results, posting EPS of $1.32 versus the $1.25 estimate and revenue of $4.76 billion, which topped expectations and rose 5.3% year over year.
• The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $1.06 per share, equal to an annualized yield of 5.8%, while analysts currently have a consensus rating of Hold with an average price target of $69.33.

Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) by 10.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 777,191 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 76,275 shares during the quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Altria Group were worth $44,813,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Burford Brothers Inc. raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 22.9% in the fourth quarter. Burford Brothers Inc. now owns 50,647 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,920,000 after buying an additional 9,451 shares during the period. Hills Bank & Trust Co raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 22.7% in the fourth quarter. Hills Bank & Trust Co now owns 5,398 shares of the company's stock valued at $311,000 after buying an additional 999 shares during the period. Qsemble Capital Management LP raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 392.0% in the fourth quarter. Qsemble Capital Management LP now owns 48,126 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,775,000 after buying an additional 38,345 shares during the period. Everstar Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 4.7% in the fourth quarter. Everstar Asset Management LLC now owns 20,389 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,177,000 after buying an additional 909 shares during the period. Finally, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 124.4% in the fourth quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 302,316 shares of the company's stock valued at $17,432,000 after buying an additional 167,609 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have issued reports on the company. Citigroup boosted their target price on Altria Group from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Bank of America boosted their target price on Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Wall Street Zen lowered Altria Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $77.00 target price on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their target price on Altria Group from $74.00 to $76.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $69.33.

Altria Group Stock Performance

NYSE:MO opened at $73.06 on Monday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $54.70 and a 52-week high of $74.56. The firm has a market cap of $122.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.28, a PEG ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.48. The business's fifty day moving average is $67.02 and its 200 day moving average is $63.04.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.07. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 298.69% and a net margin of 34.34%.The company had revenue of $4.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.58 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.23 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.68 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 10th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.06 per share. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.8%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. Altria Group's payout ratio is presently 88.70%.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total transaction of $1,885,743.56. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 180,869 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,221,318.33. The trade was a 13.37% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Altria Group 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.