Delta Investment Management LLC Raises Stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Delta Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 2.9% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 7,064 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 198 shares during the period. Delta Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $322,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Scarborough Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 18.5% in the second quarter. Scarborough Advisors LLC now owns 1,283 shares of the company’s stock worth $58,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 0.3% in the second quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management now owns 76,595 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,489,000 after purchasing an additional 203 shares during the last quarter. SP Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 2.5% in the second quarter. SP Asset Management LLC now owns 8,211 shares of the company’s stock worth $374,000 after purchasing an additional 204 shares during the last quarter. Certuity LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 1.6% in the second quarter. Certuity LLC now owns 13,664 shares of the company’s stock worth $622,000 after purchasing an additional 213 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Catalyst Financial Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 2.0% in the second quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 11,269 shares of the company’s stock worth $513,000 after purchasing an additional 217 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Stock Performance

NYSE:MO opened at $51.08 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $51.43 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $47.01. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $39.06 and a 52-week high of $54.95. The firm has a market capitalization of $87.74 billion, a PE ratio of 10.69, a P/E/G ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.65.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.35 by ($0.04). Altria Group had a net margin of 42.25% and a negative return on equity of 232.55%. The company had revenue of $6.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.39 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.31 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. This is a positive change from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. Altria Group’s payout ratio is currently 85.36%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MO has been the subject of several research analyst reports. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $39.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, September 9th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $43.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Monday, September 9th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Argus raised Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 31st. Finally, StockNews.com raised Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, June 28th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $49.67.

About Altria Group

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.