First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. Acquires 52,004 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. $MO

First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. boosted its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 17.9% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 342,677 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 52,004 shares during the quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $22,637,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter worth $27,000. Country Trust Bank lifted its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 334.7% during the 2nd quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 539 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 415 shares during the last quarter. Winnow Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter valued at about $39,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on MO shares. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Altria Group from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. UBS Group raised Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $61.00 to $63.00 in a report on Friday, January 9th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Argus upgraded shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target 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 Price Performance

Shares of MO stock 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 1 year low of $50.08 and a 1 year high of $68.60. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $58.69 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $61.62.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced 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 negative return on equity of 319.43% and a net margin of 37.89%.The firm had revenue of $5.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.31 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.38 EPS. The company’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. Equities research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS 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 given 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 yield of 6.8%. Altria Group’s payout ratio is 80.92%.

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

Altria Group 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.