Altria Group, Inc. $MO Shares Sold by Morningstar Investment Management LLC

Morningstar Investment Management LLC decreased its position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 33.4% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 40,785 shares of the company’s stock after selling 20,422 shares during the quarter. Morningstar Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $2,691,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the second quarter worth $27,000. Navalign LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Miller Capital Partners Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Hughes Financial Services LLC boosted its position in shares of Altria Group by 62.9% in the 4th quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 510 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Altria Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Altria Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Altria is approaching earnings with expectations for higher revenue and year-over-year EPS growth, which supports the case for continued fundamental strength. Altria Group (MO) Nears Earnings, Is The Recent Rally Already Priced In?
• Positive Sentiment: The stock has outperformed over the past year, helped by a strong year-to-date gain and solid total shareholder return, reinforcing momentum around the name. Altria Group (MO) Nears Earnings, Is The Recent Rally Already Priced In?
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple pre-earnings previews say investors should not assume a blowout report, noting Altria does not appear to have the strongest setup for an earnings beat. Altria (MO) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week’s Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Shares are being compared with consumer staples peers, with coverage suggesting the stock’s relative performance is a key focus rather than a major new catalyst. Is Altria Group (MO) Stock Outpacing Its Consumer Staples Peers This Year?
• Negative Sentiment: One analyst report downgraded Altria, arguing that the stock’s strong outperformance has made it look expensive, which could pressure valuation sentiment. Altria: Outperformance Makes It Pricey (Rating Downgrade)

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Altria Group news, Director Ellen R. Strahlman sold 2,000 shares of Altria Group stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.56, for a total value of $145,120.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 25,102 shares in the company, valued at $1,821,401.12. This trade represents a 7.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Ennis Debra J. Kelly sold 5,790 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.25, for a total transaction of $418,327.50. Following the sale, the director directly owned 73,809 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,332,700.25. This represents a 7.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Trading Up 1.2%

Shares of NYSE:MO opened at $72.96 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $71.91 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $67.75. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $54.70 and a 12-month high of $75.28. The firm has a market cap of $121.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.26, a PEG ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.45.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $4.76 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.58 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 34.34% and a negative return on equity of 298.69%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.23 EPS. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 10th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th were given a dividend of $1.06 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.8%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is 88.70%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently commented on MO. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. BTIG Research initiated coverage on Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Altria Group from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $77.00 price objective on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $70.78.

About Altria Group

Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) is a U.S.-based consumer goods company whose principal business is the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company’s operations are focused primarily on the U.S. market and include the production, marketing and distribution of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and cigars. Its flagship cigarette franchise in the United States is sold through its operating subsidiaries and is among the most recognizable cigarette brands in the country.

Altria’s principal operating businesses include Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), U.S.