Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC Purchases 22,778 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Key Points

• Kestra Private Wealth Services increased its stake in Altria Group by 13.7% in the first quarter, buying 22,778 additional shares and bringing its holdings to 189,087 shares worth about $12.48 million.
• Altria continues to attract attention as a defensive, dividend-focused stock, supported by a quarterly payout of $1.06 per share and a 5.8% dividend yield.
• The company beat first-quarter expectations with EPS of $1.32 on revenue of $4.76 billion, while analysts remain mixed overall with a consensus Hold rating and an average price target of $70.44.

Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC boosted its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) by 13.7% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 189,087 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 22,778 shares during the period. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC's holdings in Altria Group were worth $12,478,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in Altria Group by 64.7% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 17,702 shares of the company's stock worth $926,000 after purchasing an additional 6,954 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Altria Group by 86.3% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 6,361 shares of the company's stock valued at $373,000 after purchasing an additional 2,946 shares during the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 6.9% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 9,630 shares of the company's stock worth $565,000 after purchasing an additional 618 shares during the period. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 2nd quarter worth $346,000. Finally, AXA S.A. purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth about $5,752,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.

Altria Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Altria is being viewed as a defensive, income-oriented stock, with articles highlighting its appeal to dividend investors and its ability to hold up well during market weakness. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage suggests the stock may still offer an attractive valuation after its recent gains, which can keep value investors interested in MO. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are encouraged by Altria’s transition toward smoke-free products, including nicotine pouches and other reduced-risk offerings, which could help offset cigarette volume declines over time. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains mixed but generally stable, with the stock receiving an average “Hold” rating, suggesting no major near-term shift in Wall Street’s view. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Altria continues to face pressure in its traditional cigarette business, along with tighter regulation and changing consumer habits, which is why investors are watching whether smoke-free growth can fully offset legacy declines. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

MO has been the subject of several research reports. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Altria Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Sunday, June 21st. Morgan Stanley set a $71.00 target price on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Friday, May 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $77.00 price target on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Bank of America upped their price objective on Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $70.44.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of MO opened at $73.22 on Friday. Altria Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $54.70 and a fifty-two week high of $74.56. The business has a 50-day moving average of $70.10 and a 200 day moving average of $65.72. The firm has a market cap of $122.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.46.

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

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 10th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be issued a $1.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.8%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 88.70%.

Insider Activity at Altria Group

In related news, Director Ennis Debra J. Kelly sold 5,790 shares of Altria Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.25, for a total value of $418,327.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 73,809 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,332,700.25. The trade was a 7.27% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Ellen R. Strahlman sold 2,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.56, for a total transaction of $145,120.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 25,102 shares in the company, valued at $1,821,401.12. The trade was a 7.38% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Altria Group

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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