Wall Street Zen Upgrades Altria Group (NYSE:MO) to "Buy"

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Altria (NYSE:MO) from a "hold" to a "buy," amid other price‑target increases (Stifel/Goldman at $77); analysts remain mixed — five Buys, four Holds and two Sells — with a MarketBeat consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $69.63.
• Altria beat Q1 estimates (EPS $1.32 vs. $1.25; revenue $4.76B vs. $4.58B) and reaffirmed FY2026 EPS guidance of 5.56–5.72, supporting recent share strength near its one‑year high around $74.
• SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares for roughly $1.89M, trimming his position by 13.37%, while institutional investors still hold about 57.4% of the stock.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report released on Saturday.

Several other research firms also recently issued reports on MO. Argus upgraded Altria Group to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Altria Group from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an "underperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Barclays boosted their price target on Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $77.00 price target on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Thursday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Altria Group has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $69.63.

Altria Group Trading Up 2.4%

MO stock opened at $74.37 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $124.30 billion, a PE ratio of 18.09, a PEG ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.48. Altria Group has a 1-year low of $54.70 and a 1-year high of $74.56. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $66.70 and its 200 day simple moving average is $62.68.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $4.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.58 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 298.69% and a net margin of 34.34%.The firm's revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.23 EPS. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Altria Group will post 5.62 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total transaction of $1,885,743.56. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 180,869 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $12,221,318.33. This represents a 13.37% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Navalign LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. EMC Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 3rd quarter worth $33,000. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Miller Capital Partners Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat and guidance intact — Altria topped revenue and EPS estimates, cited pricing and cost controls as drivers, and reconfirmed FY2026 EPS guidance, a key reason investors are buying the stock. Altria beats quarterly profit estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: Stifel raised its price target to $77 and kept a Buy rating, signaling incremental analyst confidence that supports the rally. Stifel raises PT to $77
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley highlights solid profit momentum and visibility from Altria’s pricing and portfolio; that institutional endorsement helped market sentiment. Morgan Stanley bullish note
• Positive Sentiment: Index/momentum attention — coverage noting an “S&P 500 moment” and recent share-price momentum has likely attracted passive and momentum flows into MO. Altria’s S&P 500 Moment
• Positive Sentiment: Income appeal — MO continues to be featured in low-risk/dividend lists, reinforcing demand from income-focused investors. Low-risk investment list
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup raised its target to $70 but kept a Neutral rating — signal of modestly improved fundamentals but still cautious relative to current levels. Citigroup PT update
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate housekeeping: Altria will webcast its 2026 annual meeting — routine disclosure, minimal immediate price impact but relevant for shareholder engagement. Webcast of annual meeting
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation/momentum checks — analysts and media note strong 1‑year and 3‑month returns and mixed earnings expectations; market is re-pricing income story vs. growth risks. Valuation check
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/inflation caution — some analysts warn inflation and macro uncertainty increase downside risk despite the dividend and pricing power; a few commentators downgraded or advocated caution. Inflation and macro risk concerns

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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