Paradigm Financial Partners LLC Purchases 2,714 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Paradigm Financial Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 9.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 30,728 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,714 shares during the quarter. Paradigm Financial Partners LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $1,240,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of MO. Altshuler Shaham Ltd purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the third quarter worth $26,000. Nemes Rush Group LLC increased its position in shares of Altria Group by 103.2% during the third quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 636 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 323 shares during the period. ZRC Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Altria Group by 67.6% in the fourth quarter. ZRC Wealth Management LLC now owns 677 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 273 shares in the last quarter. Criterion Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 1,800.0% during the 3rd quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. now owns 703 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 666 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MO has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $36.10 to $36.50 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research report on Monday, April 8th. Stifel Nicolaus restated a “buy” rating and issued a $50.00 price target on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Monday, March 25th. Finally, StockNews.com cut Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, April 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Altria Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $46.90.

Altria Group Trading Down 0.4 %

MO stock opened at $43.38 on Monday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $39.06 and a 12 month high of $48.04. The stock has a market cap of $74.51 billion, a PE ratio of 9.08, a P/E/G ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $42.18 and a 200 day moving average price of $41.45.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The company reported $1.15 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.15. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 222.80% and a net margin of 34.81%. The company had revenue of $4.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.71 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.18 EPS. Altria Group’s quarterly revenue was down 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.11 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 25th will be paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 22nd. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.04%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 82.01%.

Altria Group declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback plan on Thursday, February 1st that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 1.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

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.