Altria Group, Inc. $MO Shares Newly Bought by NBT Bank N.A.

NBT Bank N.A. purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 43,413 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,923,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Comprehensive Financial Planning Inc. PA bought a new stake in Altria Group in the second quarter worth about $26,000. Cornerstone National Bank & Trust Co purchased a new position in Altria Group in the third quarter valued at about $33,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in Altria Group by 78.8% in the first quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 524 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 231 shares during the last quarter. Evolution Advisers Inc. boosted its stake in Altria Group by 110.9% in the second quarter. Evolution Advisers Inc. now owns 578 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 304 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GK Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Altria Group news, Director Kathryn McQuade bought 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 9th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $67.62 per share, with a total value of $101,430.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 114,929 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,771,498.98. The trade was a 1.32% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Dividend income remains the primary attraction. Articles highlight Altria’s long-term total returns, which were driven largely by reinvested dividends rather than share-price appreciation. The company continues to be featured among high-yield stocks appealing to retirees and income-focused investors. Altria’s Stock Has a Surprising 10-Year Return. Dividends Tell the Story
• Positive Sentiment: Expectations for the upcoming earnings report are favorable. Zacks coverage says Altria has factors that could support an earnings beat and earnings growth. The company’s current fiscal-year guidance calls for adjusted EPS of $5.61 to $5.72, which may be reinforcing confidence in its cash-generation and dividend capacity. Altria Earnings Expected to Grow
• Positive Sentiment: Sector income-stock momentum is supportive. Altria is included in several lists of stocks offering yields above 6%, keeping the company visible to investors seeking cash returns while bond yields remain elevated. Strong results from rival Philip Morris also provide a constructive read-through for tobacco-sector demand and pricing power. Philip Morris Q3 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and technical momentum are mixed. MO is above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages and near its annual high, but that strength could make the stock more sensitive to profit-taking if earnings or guidance disappoint.
• Negative Sentiment: Long-term business risks remain. Coverage notes declining cigarette volumes, past write-downs and Altria’s weaker position in smoke-free products. These challenges could limit growth and remain important risks despite the company’s attractive dividend.

Altria Group Stock Up 3.0%

MO opened at $76.04 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $126.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.04, a PEG ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.42. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $69.41 and a 200-day moving average price of $69.90. Altria Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $54.70 and a twelve month high of $77.06.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.50 by ($0.02). The business 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 business’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.44 EPS. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.610-5.720 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 9th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th were paid a $1.11 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $4.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.8%. This is a positive change from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 93.67%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on MO shares. BTIG Research assumed coverage on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a “neutral” rating for the company. Freedom Broker upgraded Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. Barclays dropped their price objective on Altria Group from $64.00 to $58.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. UBS Group increased their price objective on Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $70.11.

About Altria Group

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.