Clayton Financial Group LLC Sells 350 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Clayton Financial Group LLC decreased its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 8.3% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 3,846 shares of the company’s stock after selling 350 shares during the quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $231,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in MO. Redwood Park Advisors LLC bought a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Promus Capital LLC bought a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Pinney & Scofield Inc. bought a new position in Altria Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Stock Down 1.7%

MO opened at $58.77 on Tuesday. Altria Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $43.92 and a twelve month high of $61.26. The company has a fifty day moving average of $58.81 and a 200-day moving average of $56.10. The stock has a market cap of $99.00 billion, a PE ratio of 8.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.60.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The company reported $1.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.19 by $0.04. Altria Group had a net margin of 46.90% and a negative return on equity of 258.72%. The company had revenue of $4.52 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.64 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.15 earnings per share. Altria Group’s revenue for the quarter was down 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 16th will be paid a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.94%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 16th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 68.34%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MO has been the subject of several research reports. Needham & Company LLC raised shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 22nd. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Altria Group from $46.00 to $49.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 2nd. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Altria Group from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, April 25th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of Altria Group from $60.00 to $63.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 30th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $56.00.

About Altria Group

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable 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; moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; oral nicotine pouches under the on! brand; and e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand.