LifeWealth Investments LLC Makes New Investment in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

LifeWealth Investments LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 10,490 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $549,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Redwood Park Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Citigroup upped their target price on Altria Group from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, April 25th. Wall Street Zen cut Altria Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on 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. Barclays raised their price objective on Altria Group from $46.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Friday, May 2nd. Finally, Needham & Company LLC upgraded Altria Group to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 22nd. Two research 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. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $56.00.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MO traded down $0.06 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $59.42. The company had a trading volume of 2,165,240 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,631,765. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $43.83 and a 1-year high of $61.26. The firm has a market cap of $100.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $58.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $55.80.

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. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 258.72% and a net margin of 46.90%. The company had revenue of $4.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.64 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.15 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was down 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 16th will be given a $1.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 16th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.87%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio is 68.34%.

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.