Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Shares Purchased by Focus Financial Network Inc.

Focus Financial Network Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 10.2% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 26,056 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,405 shares during the quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $1,362,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its position in Altria Group by 420.0% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 462 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the third quarter worth about $34,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Fairman Group LLC boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 85.1% in the 3rd quarter. Fairman Group LLC now owns 892 shares of the company’s stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 410 shares during the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Barclays raised their target price on Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com raised Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded shares of 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. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Altria Group currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $53.29.

Altria Group Stock Up 0.1 %

MO opened at $53.90 on Wednesday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $39.25 and a 52 week high of $58.03. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $53.02 and a 200-day simple moving average of $52.52. The firm has a market cap of $91.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.23, a P/E/G ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.64.

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

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 26th were paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 26th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is currently 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.