Invariant Investment Management Invests $1.08 Million in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Key Points

• Invariant Investment Management bought a new stake of 18,817 shares in Altria (NYSE:MO) valued at about $1.08 million
• Analyst views are mixed: the consensus rating is Hold with an average target of $65.88, though Bank of America raised its target to $73 and reiterated a Buy.
• Altria declared a quarterly dividend of $1.06 (annualized $4.24, ~6.5% yield) but carries a payout ratio above 100% (103.16%); the company also posted a slight quarterly EPS miss at $1.30 versus $1.32 expected.

Invariant Investment Management acquired a new position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 18,817 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,083,000. Altria Group comprises approximately 0.7% of Invariant Investment Management's holdings, making the stock its 19th biggest position.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of MO. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the second quarter worth $27,000. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. EMC Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the third quarter worth $33,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 278 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Gould Capital LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the 3rd quarter valued at $39,000. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms recently commented on MO. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an "underperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Argus upgraded shares of Altria Group to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on shares of Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $65.88.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of Altria Group stock opened at $65.64 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $109.70 billion, a PE ratio of 15.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.41. The company's fifty day moving average price is $66.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $62.60. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $54.70 and a 52-week high of $70.51.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.32 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $5.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.02 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 29.84% and a negative return on equity of 287.61%. The company's quarterly revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.30 EPS. Analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be issued 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 Wednesday, March 25th. Altria Group's payout ratio is 103.16%.

More Altria Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Altria is rolling out its on! PLUS nicotine pouches nationwide under the FDA’s new fast‑track pilot program — a meaningful step in expanding beyond cigarettes into oral nicotine, which could support future revenue diversification. Altria’s on! PLUS Fast Track Launch Tests Smoke Free Growth Story
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America raised its price target (to $73) and lifted EPS estimates for Altria, reiterating a Buy — analyst revisions like this can lend support to the stock and signal improved near‑term earnings expectations. Altria (MO) Gets Target Hike from BofA as EPS Estimates Move Higher
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary highlights a recent pullback after a strong run (multi‑month gains and solid 1‑year TSR); analysts are reassessing valuation after the rally — this explains part of today’s price weakness as investors consider whether momentum is pausing. Assessing Altria Group (MO) Valuation After Recent Share Pullback And Mixed Short Term Returns
• Neutral Sentiment: Brief market reports note the stock dipped while the broader market gained — useful as a near‑term read on trader flows but not new fundamental news. Altria (MO) Stock Dips While Market Gains: Key Facts
• Negative Sentiment: Independent commentary comparing Altria to Philip Morris warns about dividend risk and business divergence, suggesting some investors may view Altria’s yield as less secure or its growth prospects as more constrained — a potential headwind for valuation and income‑oriented buyers. Altria vs. Philip Morris: One Dividend Is a Trap — Here's Which One to Avoid

Insider Transactions at Altria Group

In other Altria Group news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total value of $1,885,743.56. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 180,869 shares of the company's stock, valued at $12,221,318.33. The trade was a 13.37% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.

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