Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Trading 1.2% Higher – Time to Buy?

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)’s stock price was up 1.2% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $73.54 and last traded at $72.9610. 4,794,345 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 48% from the average session volume of 9,230,578 shares. The stock had previously closed at $72.08.

Altria Group News Roundup

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)

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently issued reports on MO. Morgan Stanley set a $71.00 target price on Altria Group in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on Altria Group from $60.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Citigroup increased their price objective on Altria Group from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. BTIG Research assumed coverage on Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Finally, UBS Group boosted their target price on Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Altria Group presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $70.78.

Altria Group Trading Up 1.2%

The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $71.91 and its 200 day simple moving average is $67.75. The firm has a market capitalization of $121.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.45.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 firm had revenue of $4.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.58 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.23 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th were issued a $1.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 15th. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.8%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 88.70%.

Insider Activity at Altria Group

In other Altria Group news, Director Ennis Debra J. Kelly sold 5,790 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.25, for a total transaction of $418,327.50. Following the transaction, the director owned 73,809 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,332,700.25. This represents a 7.27% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Ellen R. Strahlman sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was 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. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Altria Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Navalign LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Miller Capital Partners Inc. purchased a new position in Altria Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Hughes Financial Services LLC boosted its stake in Altria Group by 62.9% during the fourth quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 510 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Altria Group Company Profile

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.