Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC Has $136,000 Stock Holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC trimmed its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 89.6% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 2,600 shares of the company’s stock after selling 22,300 shares during the period. Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $136,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC lifted its holdings in Altria Group by 420.0% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 462 shares during the period. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC bought a new position in Altria Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Kestra Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Altria Group during the 4th quarter worth $40,000. Finally, Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 3rd quarter valued at $41,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Altria Group Trading Up 1.2 %

Shares of NYSE MO opened at $55.01 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $52.61 and a 200 day moving average price of $52.70. The firm has a market cap of $93.22 billion, a PE ratio of 8.40, a PEG ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.64. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $39.25 and a 1-year high of $58.03.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share (EPS) 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%. Equities research analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 26th were given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.42%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 26th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 62.29%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently issued reports on MO. Bank of America upgraded Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research report on Friday, December 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on Altria Group from $52.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $53.29.

Altria Group Company 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.