Shah Wealth Advisors LLC Invests $1.21 Million in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Shah Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 16,800 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,209,000.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Comprehensive Financial Planning Inc. PA bought a new position in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Navalign LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Miller Capital Partners Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Hughes Financial Services LLC increased its position in shares of Altria Group by 62.9% in the fourth quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 510 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 197 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Stock Down 1.0%

NYSE MO opened at $68.80 on Friday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $69.82 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $69.07. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $54.70 and a 12-month high of $77.06. The firm has a market cap of $114.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.51, a PEG ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.45.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.48 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.50 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $5.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.35 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 33.99% and a negative return on equity of 315.29%. The company’s revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.44 EPS. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.610-5.720 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 9th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be given a $1.11 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. This is an increase from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. This represents a $4.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.5%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 89.45%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on MO. BTIG Research assumed coverage on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, June 21st. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Altria Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $70.11.

About Altria Group

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.