Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp Lowers Stock Holdings in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp lowered its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO - Free Report) by 4.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 723,802 shares of the company's stock after selling 35,002 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp's holdings in Altria Group were worth $41,734,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 160,980,626 shares of the company's stock valued at $9,282,143,000 after acquiring an additional 1,903,530 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 19.4% in the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 19,567,823 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,285,575,000 after acquiring an additional 3,172,753 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 0.4% in the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 16,705,159 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,103,543,000 after acquiring an additional 59,189 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 1.1% in the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 12,747,828 shares of the company's stock valued at $842,122,000 after acquiring an additional 132,846 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital Research Global Investors boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 0.4% in the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 12,131,644 shares of the company's stock valued at $801,412,000 after acquiring an additional 47,757 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Altria Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Recent data and investor commentary indicate cigarette volume declines may be less severe than feared, supporting the view that pricing power and stable cash flow could sustain Altria's dividend and margins. Why Altria Group Stock Topped the Market on Tuesday
• Positive Sentiment: Company press releases emphasize reinvestment in growers, communities, employees and brands — a positive PR and capital‑allocation message that can bolster investor confidence in stewardship and long‑term cash generation. Altria Celebrates America by Investing in Our Growers, Communities, Employees and Iconic Brands
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street previews expect modest Q1 strength as pricing and cost control offset smokeable volume declines; the catalyst will be management commentary on volumes, heated‑tobacco trends and guidance. Watch the Q1 release for confirmation. Unveiling Altria (MO) Q1 Outlook: Wall Street Estimates for Key Metrics
• Negative Sentiment: After roughly a 21% one‑year rally, some analysts ask whether much upside remains at current prices; valuation and yield tradeoffs are front‑of‑mind for investors deciding to buy more or take profits. Is It Too Late To Consider Altria Group (MO) After A 21% One Year Rally?

Altria Group Price Performance

NYSE:MO opened at $67.76 on Wednesday. The business's 50-day moving average is $66.58 and its two-hundred day moving average is $62.57. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $54.70 and a 12 month high of $70.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $113.25 billion, a PE ratio of 16.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.41.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.32 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a net margin of 29.84% and a negative return on equity of 287.61%. The company had revenue of $5.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.02 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.30 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.61 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be given a $1.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.3%. Altria Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 103.16%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Altria Group news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total value of $1,885,743.56. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 180,869 shares of the company's stock, valued at $12,221,318.33. This trade represents a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Argus upgraded Altria Group to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Citigroup lifted their target price on Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Barclays lifted their target price on Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Bank of America lifted their target price on Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an "underperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $65.88.

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.

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