Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Rating Lowered to Hold at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) was downgraded by analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, Marketbeat.com reports.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Bank of America upgraded shares of Altria Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, December 6th. UBS Group lifted their price target on Altria Group from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $54.00.

Altria Group Price Performance

NYSE MO opened at $57.21 on Tuesday. Altria Group has a 1 year low of $40.65 and a 1 year high of $60.18. The company has a market capitalization of $96.72 billion, a PE ratio of 8.73, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.56. The company has a fifty day moving average of $55.51 and a 200 day moving average of $53.72.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 258.72% and a net margin of 46.90%. Research analysts expect that Altria Group will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in MO. Neville Rodie & Shaw Inc. boosted its stake in Altria Group by 6.4% during the 1st quarter. Neville Rodie & Shaw Inc. now owns 14,128 shares of the company’s stock worth $848,000 after purchasing an additional 855 shares during the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB boosted its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 2.2% during the 1st quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 93,760 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,627,000 after purchasing an additional 1,995 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in shares of Altria Group by 15.9% in the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 263,131 shares of the company’s stock valued at $13,759,000 after purchasing an additional 36,167 shares in the last quarter. Prostatis Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 10.1% in the fourth quarter. Prostatis Group LLC now owns 5,935 shares of the company’s stock valued at $310,000 after purchasing an additional 545 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Chancellor Financial Group WB LP purchased a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $316,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group Company Profile

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company offers cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; large cigars and pipe tobacco under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; oral nicotine pouches under the on! brand; and e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand.