Viking Fund Management LLC Increases Holdings in Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Viking Fund Management LLC boosted its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 14.1% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 202,000 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 25,000 shares during the period. Altria Group accounts for about 1.3% of Viking Fund Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 20th largest holding. Viking Fund Management LLC’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $11,647,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. CWA Asset Management Group LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 8.6% during the third quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 335,418 shares of the company’s stock worth $22,158,000 after acquiring an additional 26,624 shares during the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Altria Group by 1.3% in the third quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 3,522,209 shares of the company’s stock valued at $232,677,000 after purchasing an additional 44,303 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in shares of Altria Group by 7.2% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 12,073,682 shares of the company’s stock worth $797,587,000 after purchasing an additional 814,665 shares in the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated raised its position in shares of Altria Group by 155.4% during the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 31,220 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,062,000 after purchasing an additional 18,997 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Public Sector Pension Investment Board raised its position in shares of Altria Group by 13.7% during the 3rd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 144,725 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,561,000 after purchasing an additional 17,429 shares during the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Altria Group

In other news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 180,869 shares in the company, valued at $12,221,318.33. This represents a 13.37% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Altria Group Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of Altria Group stock opened at $64.31 on Wednesday. Altria Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $52.82 and a fifty-two week high of $70.51. The business’s fifty day moving average is $65.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is $62.51. The firm has a market cap of $107.51 billion, a PE ratio of 15.65, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.45.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.32 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a net margin of 29.84% and a negative return on equity of 287.61%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.30 earnings per share. Altria Group’s revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be paid a dividend of $1.06 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.6%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 103.16%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MO has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Citigroup increased their target price on Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 30th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $67.00 to $74.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Argus raised shares of Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Altria Group has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $65.11.

Altria Group Company 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.