BNP Paribas Financial Markets Acquires 299,208 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. $MO

BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 13.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,521,040 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 299,208 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets owned 0.15% of Altria Group worth $166,540,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. CWA Asset Management Group LLC increased its position in shares of Altria Group by 8.6% during the third quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 335,418 shares of the company’s stock worth $22,158,000 after acquiring an additional 26,624 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 1.3% in the third quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 3,522,209 shares of the company’s stock valued at $232,677,000 after purchasing an additional 44,303 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 7.2% in the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 12,073,682 shares of the company’s stock valued at $797,587,000 after purchasing an additional 814,665 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Altria Group by 1.0% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 159,717,148 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,364,216,000 after purchasing an additional 1,599,923 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its stake in Altria Group by 155.4% in the third quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 31,220 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,062,000 after purchasing an additional 18,997 shares in the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Altria Group

In other Altria Group news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of Altria Group 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 transaction, the senior vice president owned 180,869 shares in the company, valued at $12,221,318.33. The trade was a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.08% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. UBS Group lifted their target price on Altria Group from $67.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Argus upgraded Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Altria Group has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $65.11.

Altria Group Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of NYSE:MO opened at $66.34 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $63.80 and a 200 day moving average of $62.60. The company has a market capitalization of $110.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.45. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $52.82 and a 52 week high of $70.51.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.32 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a net margin of 29.84% and a negative return on equity of 287.61%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.30 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be given a dividend of $1.06 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.4%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 103.16%.

Key Headlines Impacting Altria Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Altria Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target to $74 and kept a Buy rating, citing slower-than-expected US cigarette volume declines and reinforcing a favorable outlook for Altria’s cash generation. UBS Boosts Altria (MO) Price Target, Sees Slower Industry Cigarette Volume Declines
• Positive Sentiment: Altria confirmed a quarterly dividend of $1.06 (payable Apr 30; record Mar 25), sustaining a ~6% yield that supports income-focused demand for the shares. How UBS’s Reaffirmed Rating Amid Dividend Steadiness At Altria Group (MO) Has Changed Its Investment Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Several outlets and analysts continue to flag Altria as a high‑yield / momentum name, which can attract longer‑term income buyers even as near‑term volatility persists. Here’s Why Altria (MO) is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Negative Sentiment: An insider (SVP Charles Whitaker) sold ~27,908 shares (~$1.9M), which can trigger concern or short‑term selling pressure even if pre‑arranged. Altria Group (NYSE:MO) SVP Sells $1,885,743.56 in Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Latest quarter showed a small EPS miss and slight revenue decline year‑over‑year amid continuing cigarette volume headwinds — fundamentals that cap upside until volumes/stabilization improve. Altria (MO) Registers a Bigger Fall Than the Market: Important Facts to Note
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage is mixed — UBS upgraded/raised its target, but other firms have varied targets and several holds; consensus remains around a Hold with a mid‑$60s target, so directional conviction is split. MarketBeat MO Profile & Analyst Data

Altria Group 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.