First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. Increases Stock Position in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. increased its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 17.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 342,677 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 52,004 shares during the period. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $22,637,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Country Trust Bank boosted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 400.0% in the 2nd quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 500 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 334.7% in the second quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 539 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 415 shares during the period. Winnow Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the second quarter worth $35,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the second quarter valued at $39,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Altria Group

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?

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have issued reports on MO. Argus raised Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. UBS Group raised shares of Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $61.00 to $63.00 in a report on Friday, January 9th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $62.56.

Altria Group Stock Up 1.5%

MO stock opened at $61.92 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $58.69 and its 200-day moving average price is $61.62. The stock has a market cap of $103.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.82, a PEG 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.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $1.45 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.44 by $0.01. Altria Group had a net margin of 37.89% and a negative return on equity of 319.43%. The company had revenue of $5.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.31 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.38 EPS. The firm’s revenue was down 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Altria Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.370-5.45 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback plan on Thursday, October 30th that allows the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to purchase up to 1.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually a sign that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

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

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.