Burkett Financial Services LLC Sells 302 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Burkett Financial Services LLC lessened its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 12.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,077 shares of the company’s stock after selling 302 shares during the period. Burkett Financial Services LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $109,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MO. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its position 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 valued at $29,000 after purchasing 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 worth approximately $34,000. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 63.9% in the second quarter. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. now owns 667 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the third quarter worth approximately $41,000. Finally, Fairman Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 85.1% in the third quarter. Fairman Group LLC now owns 892 shares of the company’s stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 410 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of Altria Group stock traded down $0.48 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $52.66. The company had a trading volume of 2,099,282 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,298,787. Altria Group, Inc. has a one year low of $39.25 and a one year high of $58.03. The firm has a market cap of $89.25 billion, a PE ratio of 8.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 0.63. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $54.60 and a 200 day simple moving average of $51.65.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $1.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.35 by $0.03. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 233.80% and a net margin of 42.82%. The company had revenue of $6.26 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.33 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.28 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 18.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.12 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 26th will be given a $1.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 26th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.75%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 68.92%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently issued reports on MO. Citigroup upped their target price on Altria Group from $44.50 to $48.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Bank of America raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. UBS Group upped their target price on Altria Group from $39.00 to $41.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, September 9th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $53.33.

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.