Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) bought by Ausdal Financial Partners Inc.

Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO – Free Report) by 16.7% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 32,455 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,636 shares during the period. Holdings held by Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. in Altria Group were worth $1,478,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have recently modified their positions in the company. Gilbert & Cook Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 3.3% during the fourth quarter. Gilbert & Cook Inc. now owns 12,928 shares of the company’s stock valued at $522,000 after buying an additional 413 shares in the last quarter. Aveo Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 3.2% in the fourth quarter. Aveo Capital Partners LLC now owns 10,845 shares of the company’s stock valued at $437,000 after purchasing an additional 333 shares in the last quarter. 9258 Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 17.8% in the fourth quarter. 9258 Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,300 shares of the company’s stock worth $254,000 after purchasing an additional 953 shares during the period. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $217,000. Finally, Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 13.5% during the fourth quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 33,587 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,355,000 after purchasing an additional 3,994 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s shares.

Altria Group trading down 1.1%

Shares of Altria Group stock opened at $53.69 on Monday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $39.06 and a 1 year high of $54.95. The company’s fifty-day simple moving average is $50.15, and its 200-day simple moving average is $46.06. The company has a market cap of $91.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.23, a P/E/G ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.65.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO – Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $1.31 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.35 by ($0.04). Altria Group had a net margin of 42.25% and a negative return on equity of 232.55%. The company had revenue of $6.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.39 billion. In the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.31 per share. Altria Group’s quarterly revenue was up 14.2% year over year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Raises Dividends

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 10th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a $1.02 dividend. This is a positive change from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. This represents an annualized dividend of $4.08 and a yield of 7.60%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16. Altria Group’s payout ratio is 82.01%.

Analysts on Wall Street are forecasting an increase

MO has been the subject of a number of research reports. Barclays upped their price target on Altria Group from $37.00 to $43.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, June 28th. Argus upgraded shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 31st. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Altria Group from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Bank of America raised their price objective on Altria Group from $52.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 4th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $48.58.

Get the latest research report on MO

Altria Group Profile

(Free report)

Altria Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smoking and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company offers cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; large cigars and pipe tobacco under the Black & Mild brand; smokeless moist tobacco and snus products under the brands Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal and Husky; oral nicotine pouches under pe! brand; and e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand.

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