Clarity Financial LLC Sells 3,851 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Clarity Financial LLC lowered its holdings in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 17.4% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 18,343 shares of the company’s stock after selling 3,851 shares during the quarter. Clarity Financial LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $959,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd raised its position in Altria Group by 18.3% during the fourth quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd now owns 337,133 shares of the company’s stock valued at $17,515,000 after purchasing an additional 52,130 shares during the period. Crews Bank & Trust bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $127,000. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in Altria Group by 5.4% during the 4th quarter. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 45,407 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,374,000 after buying an additional 2,327 shares during the period. Busey Bank lifted its position in Altria Group by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. Busey Bank now owns 184,268 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,635,000 after buying an additional 4,448 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Enzi Wealth boosted its stake in Altria Group by 3.1% during the fourth quarter. Enzi Wealth now owns 9,494 shares of the company’s stock worth $482,000 after buying an additional 284 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Stock Down 2.0 %

Shares of NYSE:MO opened at $51.59 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $53.75 and its 200 day moving average is $52.29. The stock has a market cap of $87.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $39.25 and a 52-week high of $58.03.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly 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 negative return on equity of 233.80% and a net margin of 42.82%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 26th were issued a $1.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 26th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.91%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 68.92%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MO has been the subject of several analyst reports. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on Altria Group from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Bank of America upgraded Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. 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 company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $53.43.

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.