Royal London Asset Management Ltd. Sells 13,425 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Royal London Asset Management Ltd. lessened its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 740,021 shares of the company’s stock after selling 13,425 shares during the quarter. Royal London Asset Management Ltd.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $53,245,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in MO. Brighton Jones LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 64.7% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 17,702 shares of the company’s stock valued at $926,000 after purchasing an additional 6,954 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Altria Group by 86.3% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 6,361 shares of the company’s stock worth $373,000 after buying an additional 2,946 shares during the period. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. boosted its position in shares of Altria Group by 6.9% during the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 9,630 shares of the company’s stock worth $565,000 after buying an additional 618 shares during the period. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter worth about $346,000. Finally, AXA S.A. bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter worth about $5,752,000. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Stock Performance

MO opened at $68.68 on Friday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $70.10 and its 200 day simple moving average is $68.95. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $54.70 and a 52-week high of $77.06. The firm has a market capitalization of $114.68 billion, a PE ratio of 14.49, a PEG ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.46.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.48 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.50 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $5.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.35 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 33.99% and a negative return on equity of 315.29%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.44 earnings per share. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.610-5.720 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.67 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 9th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be paid a $1.11 dividend. This is a boost from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. This represents a $4.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 89.45%.

More Altria Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Altria raised its quarterly dividend 4.7% to $1.11 per share, payable October 9 to shareholders of record September 15. The increase reinforces Altria’s reputation as a high-yield income stock, with an annualized yield of approximately 6.5%, and may be supporting investor demand. Altria Increases Quarterly Dividend to $1.11 Per Share
• Positive Sentiment: The election of Steve Presley to Altria’s board adds a director with extensive consumer-products and business leadership experience. While not an immediate earnings catalyst, the appointment could support oversight and long-term strategic execution. Altria Announces Election of Steve Presley to Altria’s Board of Directors
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary continues to focus on Altria’s valuation, dividend durability and efforts to expand beyond traditional cigarettes. The stock’s roughly 95% five-year gain highlights its strong performance, but also raises questions about how much future growth is already reflected in the price. Altria Stock Looks Reasonably Priced
• Negative Sentiment: The FDA authorized three new JUUL2 e-cigarette products, including flavored pods. The decision validates the regulated nicotine-vapor category but may intensify competition for Altria’s NJOY business and other reduced-risk products, potentially limiting market-share gains. FDA Allows Marketing of Juul’s New E-Cigarettes and Flavored Pods

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group lifted their target price on Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, June 21st. BTIG Research assumed coverage on shares of Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $60.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $70.11.

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.