Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Shares Sold by Interchange Capital Partners LLC

Interchange Capital Partners LLC lessened its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 13.3% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 5,682 shares of the company’s stock after selling 871 shares during the period. Interchange Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $297,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. True Wealth Design LLC raised its stake 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 worth $29,000 after buying an additional 462 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Stock Up 0.0 %

NYSE:MO opened at $57.62 on Tuesday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $40.65 and a 52-week high of $59.67. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $54.56 and a 200-day simple moving average of $53.48. The company has a market capitalization of $97.41 billion, a PE ratio of 8.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a net margin of 46.90% and a negative return on equity of 258.72%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be issued a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.08%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.29%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on MO shares. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Bank of America raised shares of Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently 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.