Altria Group, Inc. $MO Shares Sold by Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd.

Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd. decreased its holdings in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 4.3% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 526,963 shares of the company’s stock after selling 23,587 shares during the period. Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $34,778,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Country Trust Bank lifted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 400.0% during the second quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 500 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 400 shares during the period. Anfield Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 334.7% during the second quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 539 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 415 shares during the last quarter. Winnow Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth $39,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MO has been the topic of several research analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on Altria Group from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Argus upgraded Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, UBS Group raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $61.00 to $63.00 in a report on Friday, January 9th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Altria Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $62.56.

More Altria Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Investors are chasing yield: coverage highlights a ~7% dividend and frames MO as an attractive income play, supporting buying interest in the stock. Altria Yield at 7%, and the Stock Is Rising
• Positive Sentiment: Short-term price momentum: recent reports note MO is outperforming the market and closing higher on the trading day, reinforcing positive technical/flow dynamics. Altria (MO) Surpasses Market Returns
• Positive Sentiment: Earnings backdrop supportive: previews suggest Wall Street expects earnings growth and the company may have the elements for an earnings beat, which can lift sentiment into the report. Altria (MO) Reports Next Week
• Neutral Sentiment: Dividend comparison pieces and analyst notes (e.g., vs. Coca‑Cola) keep the stock in income-focused conversations — helpful for steady demand but not a catalyst alone. Altria vs. Coca-Cola
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple outlets flag MO as a trending/actively watched stock and publish valuation/income analyses—useful for context but mixed in directional impact. Altria Is a Trending Stock Assessing Altria Valuation
• Neutral Sentiment: Reminder: the company is scheduled to report earnings soon — date reminders and previews can increase trading volume and volatility around the release. Altria Expected to Announce Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Fundamental caution: coverage warns that past missteps and year‑over‑year revenue declines could limit upside and justify the low price, tempering longer‑term conviction. Altria: Is This High-Yield Dividend Stock Too Cheap to Ignore?

Altria Group Stock Up 1.5%

MO opened at $61.92 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $103.95 billion, a PE ratio of 11.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.43 and a beta of 0.47. Altria Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $50.08 and a twelve month high of $68.60. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $58.69 and a 200 day moving average price of $61.62.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $1.45 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 319.43% and a net margin of 37.89%.The company had revenue of $5.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.31 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.38 EPS. Altria Group’s quarterly revenue was down 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Altria Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.370-5.45 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 26th were issued a $1.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 26th. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.8%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 80.92%.

Altria Group declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Thursday, October 30th that allows the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 1.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Altria Group Company 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.