Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) Receives Average Recommendation of “Hold” from Brokerages

Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) have received a consensus rating of “Hold” from the seven ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $51.33.

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on MO shares. StockNews.com raised shares of Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $44.50 to $48.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of 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 lowered their price target on shares of Altria Group from $57.00 to $53.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, October 15th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st.

Altria Group Stock Up 0.0 %

Shares of Altria Group stock opened at $56.75 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $96.17 billion, a PE ratio of 9.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group has a 12-month low of $39.25 and a 12-month high of $57.20. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $51.97 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $49.81.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $1.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.35 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $6.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.33 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 42.82% and a negative return on equity of 233.80%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 18.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.28 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Altria Group will post 5.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. True Wealth Design LLC grew 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 valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 462 shares during the period. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Hobbs Group Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Valley Wealth Managers Inc. grew its position in Altria Group by 63.9% during the second quarter. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. now owns 667 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 260 shares during the period. 57.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.