Entropy Technologies LP Sells 47,275 Shares of Altria Group, Inc. $MO

Entropy Technologies LP reduced its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 18.5% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 207,909 shares of the company’s stock after selling 47,275 shares during the quarter. Entropy Technologies LP’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $13,720,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of MO. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in Altria Group by 64.7% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 17,702 shares of the company’s stock worth $926,000 after acquiring an additional 6,954 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in Altria Group by 86.3% in the second 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 during the period. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its holdings in Altria Group by 6.9% in the second 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 bought a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter worth $346,000. Finally, AXA S.A. acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at $5,752,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Altria Group Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of NYSE:MO opened at $72.96 on Friday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $54.70 and a 12 month high of $75.28. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $71.91 and its 200 day simple moving average is $67.75. The firm has a market cap of $121.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.26, a PEG ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.45.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $4.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.58 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 34.34% and a negative return on equity of 298.69%. The firm’s revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.23 EPS. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. Research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were issued a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.8%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 15th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is 88.70%.

Insider Activity

In other Altria Group news, Director Ennis Debra J. Kelly sold 5,790 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.25, for a total value of $418,327.50. Following the sale, the director owned 73,809 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,332,700.25. The trade was a 7.27% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Ellen R. Strahlman sold 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.56, for a total transaction of $145,120.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 25,102 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,821,401.12. This represents a 7.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Altria Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Altria is approaching earnings with expectations for higher revenue and year-over-year EPS growth, which supports the case for continued fundamental strength. Altria Group (MO) Nears Earnings, Is The Recent Rally Already Priced In?
• Positive Sentiment: The stock has outperformed over the past year, helped by a strong year-to-date gain and solid total shareholder return, reinforcing momentum around the name. Altria Group (MO) Nears Earnings, Is The Recent Rally Already Priced In?
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple pre-earnings previews say investors should not assume a blowout report, noting Altria does not appear to have the strongest setup for an earnings beat. Altria (MO) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week’s Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Shares are being compared with consumer staples peers, with coverage suggesting the stock’s relative performance is a key focus rather than a major new catalyst. Is Altria Group (MO) Stock Outpacing Its Consumer Staples Peers This Year?
• Negative Sentiment: One analyst report downgraded Altria, arguing that the stock’s strong outperformance has made it look expensive, which could pressure valuation sentiment. Altria: Outperformance Makes It Pricey (Rating Downgrade)

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently commented on MO. Morgan Stanley set a $71.00 price objective on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Bank of America boosted their target price on Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $77.00 price target on shares of Altria Group in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $70.78.

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.