CWA Asset Management Group LLC Has $20.54 Million Stock Holdings in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

CWA Asset Management Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 6.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 356,150 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 20,732 shares during the quarter. Altria Group accounts for 0.7% of CWA Asset Management Group LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. CWA Asset Management Group LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $20,536,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of MO. Kercheville Advisors LLC lifted its position in 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 increased its holdings in Altria Group by 2.9% in 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 period. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR raised its position in shares of Altria Group by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR now owns 50,805 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,356,000 after buying an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Altria Group by 2.4% in the 3rd quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 7,386 shares of the company’s stock valued at $488,000 after buying an additional 175 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Optimist Retirement Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 178 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MO has been the topic of several analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Citigroup boosted their price target on Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Barclays raised their price objective on Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, Argus upgraded Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Altria Group has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $65.11.

Insider Transactions at Altria Group

In other news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total transaction of $1,885,743.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 180,869 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,221,318.33. This trade represents a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.08% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Trading Down 0.9%

Altria Group stock opened at $64.46 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $65.21 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $62.61. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $52.82 and a 12 month high of $70.51. The company has a market capitalization of $107.77 billion, a PE ratio of 15.68, a P/E/G ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.45.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last released its quarterly 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). Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 287.61% and a net margin of 29.84%.During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.30 EPS. Altria Group’s revenue was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be given a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.6%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 25th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is 103.16%.

About Altria Group

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.