Wayfinding Financial LLC Takes $346,000 Position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Wayfinding Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 6,625 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $346,000.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 420.0% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 462 shares during the period. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of Altria Group stock opened at $58.09 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $54.29 and a 200-day simple moving average of $53.45. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $40.65 and a 52-week high of $59.67. The firm has a market cap of $98.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.87, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 258.72% and a net margin of 46.90%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be paid a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.02%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is 62.29%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on MO shares. Bank of America raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, December 6th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $53.29.

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.