Fluent Financial LLC Purchases New Holdings in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Key Points

• Fluent Financial LLC has acquired approximately 23,917 shares in Altria Group, valued at about $1.4 million, indicating growing institutional interest in the company.
• Altria Group's stock recently reported a quarterly earnings of $1.44 per share, exceeding analysts' expectations, and announced a dividend increase to $1.06, with a yield of 6.5%.
• Analysts remain divided on Altria Group with four buy ratings, five hold ratings, and two sell ratings, leading to an average price target of <$strong>62.11.

Fluent Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 23,917 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,402,000.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Jacobi Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Altria Group by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Jacobi Capital Management LLC now owns 26,335 shares of the company's stock worth $1,581,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares during the period. Bar Harbor Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 3.1% in the second quarter. Bar Harbor Wealth Management now owns 5,656 shares of the company's stock valued at $332,000 after buying an additional 169 shares during the last quarter. Vista Investment Partners II LLC boosted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 4.2% during the first quarter. Vista Investment Partners II LLC now owns 4,302 shares of the company's stock worth $258,000 after buying an additional 174 shares during the period. Wealth Alliance LLC grew its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 1.9% during the first quarter. Wealth Alliance LLC now owns 9,452 shares of the company's stock worth $567,000 after buying an additional 174 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Patten & Patten Inc. TN grew its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 1.5% during the first quarter. Patten & Patten Inc. TN now owns 12,049 shares of the company's stock worth $723,000 after buying an additional 174 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company's stock.

Altria Group Stock Down 1.9%

NYSE:MO opened at $65.41 on Thursday. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $65.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $61.07. The stock has a market cap of $109.88 billion, a PE ratio of 12.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.58 and a beta of 0.55. Altria Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $48.86 and a fifty-two week high of $68.60.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 30th. The company reported $1.44 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.07. Altria Group had a net margin of 37.24% and a negative return on equity of 295.26%. The firm had revenue of $5.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.21 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.31 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. Altria Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.350-5.450 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 10th. Investors of record on Monday, September 15th will be paid a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 15th. This is an increase from Altria Group's previous quarterly dividend of $1.02. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 82.01%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MO has been the subject of several analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus set a $72.00 price objective on Altria Group in a research note on Thursday, August 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Altria Group from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $49.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 6th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Altria Group from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating and raised their target price for the stock from $47.00 to $59.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 2nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Altria Group in a report on Wednesday, July 9th. They issued an "underperform" rating and a $50.00 target price on the stock. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $62.11.

Altria Group 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.

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