Wayfinding Financial LLC Makes New Investment in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Wayfinding Financial LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm purchased 6,625 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $346,000.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Financial Life Planners bought a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its position in Altria Group by 420.0% in the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 462 shares during the period. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of MO stock opened at $58.09 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $54.29 and its 200 day simple moving average is $53.45. The firm has a market cap of $98.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.87, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56. Altria Group, Inc. has a one year low of $40.65 and a one year high of $59.67.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, beating 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, research analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be paid a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.02%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 62.29%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MO. Bank of America raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective 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 equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $53.29.

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.