LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA Grows Holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA increased its position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 61.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,100 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 800 shares during the period. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $110,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Financial Life Planners bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC grew its position in shares of Altria Group by 420.0% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 462 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Bank of America raised shares of Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, December 6th. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $53.29.

Altria Group Price Performance

MO opened at $57.83 on Thursday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $53.52 and a 200-day moving average of $53.23. Altria Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $40.65 and a fifty-two week high of $59.67. The company has a market capitalization of $97.77 billion, a PE ratio of 8.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 258.72% and a net margin of 46.90%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be issued a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.05%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.29%.

Altria Group Company 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.