Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Rating Lowered to “Hold” at Wall Street Zen

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) was downgraded by research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report issued on Saturday.

MO has been the subject of several other research reports. UBS Group upped their target price on Altria Group from $74.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $63.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Friday. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Altria Group from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $77.00 target price on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Five investment 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. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $69.33.

Altria Group Stock Down 0.0%

MO opened at $73.06 on Friday. Altria Group has a 52-week low of $54.70 and a 52-week high of $74.56. The company has a 50 day moving average of $67.02 and a two-hundred day moving average of $63.04. The company has a market cap of $122.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.28, a P/E/G ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.48.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.07. Altria Group had a net margin of 34.34% and a negative return on equity of 298.69%. The company had revenue of $4.76 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.58 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.23 earnings per share. Altria Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Altria Group will post 5.68 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total value of $1,885,743.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 180,869 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,221,318.33. This represents a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC boosted its stake in Altria Group by 5.8% during the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 2,619 shares of the company’s stock valued at $191,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares during the last quarter. Johnson & White Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Altria Group by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Johnson & White Wealth Management LLC now owns 12,704 shares of the company’s stock worth $733,000 after buying an additional 154 shares during the last quarter. Kanawha Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Altria Group by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Kanawha Capital Management LLC now owns 19,546 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,127,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Strategic Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Altria Group by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. Strategic Advisors LLC now owns 8,243 shares of the company’s stock worth $475,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Patten Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Altria Group by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. Patten Group Inc. now owns 4,165 shares of the company’s stock worth $275,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.