Altria Group, Inc. $MO Shares Acquired by Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan

Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan grew its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 223,488 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 8,431 shares during the quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $16,080,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Brighton Jones LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 64.7% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 17,702 shares of the company’s stock valued at $926,000 after acquiring an additional 6,954 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in Altria Group by 86.3% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 6,361 shares of the company’s stock worth $373,000 after purchasing an additional 2,946 shares in the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its holdings in Altria Group by 6.9% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 9,630 shares of the company’s stock worth $565,000 after purchasing an additional 618 shares during the period. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL purchased a new stake in Altria Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $346,000. Finally, AXA S.A. acquired a new stake in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $5,752,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MO has been the subject of several recent research reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on shares of Altria Group from $60.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. BTIG Research initiated coverage on shares of Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a “neutral” rating for the company. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Altria Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $70.11.

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

Altria Group Trading Up 1.5%

MO stock opened at $68.68 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $114.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.49, a PEG ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.46. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $70.10 and a 200-day simple moving average of $68.95. Altria Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $54.70 and a twelve month high of $77.06.

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

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 9th. Shareholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.5%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 89.45%.

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.