Altria Group (NYSE:MO – Free Report) had its price objective increased by Citigroup from $70.00 to $72.00 in a research report released on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the stock.
MO has been the subject of several other research reports. Freedom Broker raised shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. BTIG Research assumed coverage on Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. They issued a “neutral” rating for the company. Barclays lowered their target price on Altria Group from $64.00 to $58.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Altria Group from $71.00 to $77.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $71.00.
Get Our Latest Research Report on MO
Altria Group Stock Performance
NYSE MO opened at $78.03 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $70.45 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $68.75. The stock has a market cap of $130.29 billion, a PE ratio of 16.12, a PEG ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.42. Altria Group has a fifty-two week low of $54.70 and a fifty-two week high of $79.81.
Altria Group (NYSE:MO – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 29th. The company reported $1.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.51 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 330.66% and a net margin of 34.51%. The business had revenue of $5.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.31 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.45 EPS. Altria Group’s quarterly revenue was up 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Altria Group will post 5.70 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Altria Group Increases Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 9th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were given a dividend of $1.11 per share. This represents a $4.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.7%. This is a boost from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 15th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 91.74%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, Director Kathryn McQuade bought 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 9th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $67.62 per share, for a total transaction of $101,430.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 114,929 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,771,498.98. This represents a 1.32% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. GQG Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $1,806,782,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $1,104,566,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the second quarter worth $631,606,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the second quarter worth $349,743,000. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 3,691.2% in the second quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 3,606,561 shares of the company’s stock valued at $259,492,000 after acquiring an additional 3,511,430 shares in the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Key Headlines Impacting Altria Group
Here are the key news stories impacting Altria Group this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings beat expectations: Adjusted EPS rose to $1.52 from $1.45 a year earlier, exceeding the $1.51 consensus estimate. Net revenue, excluding excise taxes, increased 3.6% to $5.44 billion, supported by higher pricing and stronger smokeable-product profits. Altria MO stock is up, what you need to know
- Positive Sentiment: Higher full-year outlook and buybacks: Altria raised its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance after the quarterly beat and expanded its share-repurchase program. The combination of improved earnings visibility and capital returns helped support the bullish investor reaction. MO Q3 Earnings Call Highlights Higher Guidance and Nicotine Strategy
- Positive Sentiment: Core and next-generation products remain supportive: Needham said Altria’s smokeable volumes continue to outperform the broader industry, helped by its portfolio strategy. Management also highlighted growth in nicotine pouches, giving investors an additional source of expansion beyond traditional cigarettes. Altria’s Smokeable Volumes Continue to Outperform Industry, Needham Says
- Neutral Sentiment: Valuation is attracting attention: Some analysis continues to view Altria as undervalued based on its cash-generation and dividend profile, although the stock’s roughly 153% five-year gain means investors are increasingly focused on whether future cash flows justify the higher valuation. Altria Group Stock Still Appears Undervalued Following Its 153% Run
- Negative Sentiment: Analyst target remains a near-term constraint: Morgan Stanley raised its price target from $71 to $77 but maintained an “equal weight” rating, implying limited upside from the current trading level. This suggests some analysts believe the recent rally has already priced in much of the earnings improvement. Morgan Stanley Altria rating
Altria Group Company Profile
Altria Group, Inc is a U.S.-based consumer products company focused primarily on tobacco, nicotine and related products. Through its operating companies, Altria sells cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, oral tobacco and nicotine products, and electronic vapor products.
Altria’s principal cigarette business is Philip Morris USA, whose portfolio includes Marlboro, Parliament and Virginia Slims. Its other major brands include Copenhagen and Skoal moist smokeless tobacco, Black & Mild cigars, on! nicotine pouches and NJOY electronic cigarettes.
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