Altria Group, Inc. $MO Stock Sold by Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V.

Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. trimmed its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 1.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 732,472 shares of the company’s stock after selling 12,227 shares during the period. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $49,325,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. GQG Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,806,782,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $1,104,566,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new position in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $631,606,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $349,743,000. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its holdings in Altria Group by 3,691.2% during the second quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 3,606,561 shares of the company’s stock worth $259,492,000 after purchasing an additional 3,511,430 shares during the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on the company. Freedom Broker upgraded Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 16th. BTIG Research initiated coverage on Altria Group in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Barclays dropped their price target on Altria Group from $64.00 to $58.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, Altria Group presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $70.11.

Altria Group Trading Up 3.0%

Altria Group stock opened at $76.04 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $126.97 billion, a PE ratio of 13.30, a P/E/G ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.42. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $69.41 and a 200 day moving average price of $69.90. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $54.70 and a 52 week high of $77.06.

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

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 9th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were issued a dividend of $1.11 per share. This represents a $4.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.8%. This is a boost from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 15th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is presently 93.67%.

Insider Activity at Altria Group

In other news, Director Kathryn McQuade acquired 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 9th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $67.62 per share, with a total value of $101,430.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 114,929 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,771,498.98. This represents a 1.32% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Altria Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Dividend income remains the primary attraction. Articles highlight Altria’s long-term total returns, which were driven largely by reinvested dividends rather than share-price appreciation. The company continues to be featured among high-yield stocks appealing to retirees and income-focused investors. Altria’s Stock Has a Surprising 10-Year Return. Dividends Tell the Story
• Positive Sentiment: Expectations for the upcoming earnings report are favorable. Zacks coverage says Altria has factors that could support an earnings beat and earnings growth. The company’s current fiscal-year guidance calls for adjusted EPS of $5.61 to $5.72, which may be reinforcing confidence in its cash-generation and dividend capacity. Altria Earnings Expected to Grow
• Positive Sentiment: Sector income-stock momentum is supportive. Altria is included in several lists of stocks offering yields above 6%, keeping the company visible to investors seeking cash returns while bond yields remain elevated. Strong results from rival Philip Morris also provide a constructive read-through for tobacco-sector demand and pricing power. Philip Morris Q3 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and technical momentum are mixed. MO is above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages and near its annual high, but that strength could make the stock more sensitive to profit-taking if earnings or guidance disappoint.
• Negative Sentiment: Long-term business risks remain. Coverage notes declining cigarette volumes, past write-downs and Altria’s weaker position in smoke-free products. These challenges could limit growth and remain important risks despite the company’s attractive dividend.

About Altria Group

Altria Group, Inc is a U.S.-based consumer products company focused primarily on tobacco, nicotine and related products. Through its operating companies, Altria sells cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, oral tobacco and nicotine products, and electronic vapor products.

Altria’s principal cigarette business is Philip Morris USA, whose portfolio includes Marlboro, Parliament and Virginia Slims. Its other major brands include Copenhagen and Skoal moist smokeless tobacco, Black & Mild cigars, on! nicotine pouches and NJOY electronic cigarettes.