Capital Investment Advisors LLC Boosts Stock Position in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Capital Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 2.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 661,157 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 14,720 shares during the quarter. Capital Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $38,122,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Kercheville Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 3.7% during the third quarter. Kercheville Advisors LLC now owns 4,397 shares of the company’s stock worth $290,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares during the period. Founders Grove Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Altria Group by 2.9% during the 3rd quarter. Founders Grove Wealth Partners LLC now owns 5,781 shares of the company’s stock valued at $382,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR raised its stake in Altria Group by 0.3% during the third quarter. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR now owns 50,805 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,356,000 after acquiring an additional 170 shares during the period. Zullo Investment Group Inc. grew its stake in Altria Group by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 7,386 shares of the company’s stock worth $488,000 after buying an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Optimist Retirement Group LLC grew its stake in Altria Group by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Optimist Retirement Group LLC now owns 35,577 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,350,000 after buying an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MO opened at $66.46 on Friday. Altria Group, Inc. has a one year low of $52.82 and a one year high of $70.51. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $65.60 and a 200-day moving average of $62.54. The company has a market capitalization of $111.11 billion, a PE ratio of 16.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.45.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.32 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $5.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.02 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 287.61% and a net margin of 29.84%.The business’s revenue was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.30 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be paid a $1.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.4%. Altria Group’s payout ratio is 103.16%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

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

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Altria Group news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total value of $1,885,743.56. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 180,869 shares of the company’s stock, 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 legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.08% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Altria Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: FDA pilot authorization and national rollout of on! PLUS nicotine pouches expands Altria’s smoke‑free product presence and gives the company an FDA‑cleared next‑gen oral nicotine product to sell nationwide—this supports revenue diversification beyond combustibles and is being cited as a primary catalyst. Altria Expands On! PLUS As FDA Pilot Nod Meets Valuation Debate
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large call‑option buying has been reported, indicating speculative or institutional bullish positioning that can amplify near‑term share gains. Traders Purchase Large Volume of Call Options on Altria Group (NYSE:MO)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary note tobacco names (including MO) are showing resilience by growing smoke‑free portfolios and adapting to consumer shifts—this sector-level stability supports investor confidence. 3 Tobacco Stocks Showing Resilience Amid Market Headwinds
• Neutral Sentiment: MO continues to attract income investors: it appears in recent roundups of high‑yield S&P 500 stocks, which can support steady demand from dividend‑focused buyers even if growth is limited. 22 S&P 500 Stocks Yield More Than 5%. 6 That Are Worth Buying.
• Neutral Sentiment: Market roundups and same‑day coverage (Zacks, The Motley Fool, Yahoo) note MO’s outperformance while broader indexes slipped—these are summaries of intraday drivers rather than new company fundamentals. Why the Market Dipped But Altria (MO) Gained Today Why Altria Stock Closed Up Today
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage highlights a valuation debate—questions whether the stock already prices in the yield and the new product’s upside—suggesting upside could be capped until the market sees sustained sales/profit gains from on! PLUS. Altria Expands On! PLUS As FDA Pilot Nod Meets Valuation Debate

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.