Bollard Group LLC Has $3.85 Million Holdings in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Bollard Group LLC increased its position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 17.7% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 58,350 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 8,771 shares during the quarter. Bollard Group LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $3,851,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 5.8% during the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 2,619 shares of the company’s stock worth $191,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares during the period. Johnson & White Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 1.2% during the fourth quarter. Johnson & White Wealth Management LLC now owns 12,704 shares of the company’s stock valued at $733,000 after purchasing an additional 154 shares in the last quarter. Kanawha Capital Management LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Kanawha Capital Management LLC now owns 19,546 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,127,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Altria Group by 2.0% during the fourth quarter. Strategic Advisors LLC now owns 8,243 shares of the company’s stock worth $475,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Patten Group Inc. lifted its stake in Altria Group by 4.0% during the first quarter. Patten Group Inc. now owns 4,165 shares of the company’s stock worth $275,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MO opened at $72.96 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $71.91 and its 200-day moving average price is $67.75. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $54.70 and a 52-week high of $75.28. The company has a market capitalization of $121.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.45.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $4.76 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.58 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 34.34% and a negative return on equity of 298.69%. Altria Group’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.23 earnings per share. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. Analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were paid a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is currently 88.70%.

Insider Transactions at Altria Group

In related news, Director Ellen R. Strahlman sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.56, for a total transaction of $145,120.00. Following the sale, the director owned 25,102 shares in the company, valued at $1,821,401.12. This represents a 7.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Ennis Debra J. Kelly sold 5,790 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.25, for a total value of $418,327.50. Following the sale, the director directly owned 73,809 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,332,700.25. This represents a 7.27% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

More Altria Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Altria is approaching earnings with expectations for higher revenue and year-over-year EPS growth, which supports the case for continued fundamental strength. Altria Group (MO) Nears Earnings, Is The Recent Rally Already Priced In?
• Positive Sentiment: The stock has outperformed over the past year, helped by a strong year-to-date gain and solid total shareholder return, reinforcing momentum around the name. Altria Group (MO) Nears Earnings, Is The Recent Rally Already Priced In?
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple pre-earnings previews say investors should not assume a blowout report, noting Altria does not appear to have the strongest setup for an earnings beat. Altria (MO) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week’s Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Shares are being compared with consumer staples peers, with coverage suggesting the stock’s relative performance is a key focus rather than a major new catalyst. Is Altria Group (MO) Stock Outpacing Its Consumer Staples Peers This Year?
• Negative Sentiment: One analyst report downgraded Altria, arguing that the stock’s strong outperformance has made it look expensive, which could pressure valuation sentiment. Altria: Outperformance Makes It Pricey (Rating Downgrade)

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MO has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Altria Group from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Barclays lifted their target price on Altria Group from $63.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on shares of Altria Group from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Altria Group has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $70.78.

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.