Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. Cuts Position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. cut its position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) by 61.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 6,496 shares of the company’s stock after selling 10,364 shares during the quarter. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC.’s holdings in Altria Group were worth $296,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in Altria Group by 154.4% in the 1st quarter. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 575 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 349 shares during the period. BNP Paribas acquired a new stake in Altria Group in the first quarter worth $27,000. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group in the second quarter worth $27,000. Pineridge Advisors LLC bought a new position in Altria Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Westend Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Altria Group during the first quarter valued at about $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Altria Group Price Performance

Altria Group stock opened at $53.69 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $50.15 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $45.98. Altria Group, Inc. has a one year low of $39.06 and a one year high of $54.95. The firm has a market cap of $92.22 billion, a PE ratio of 11.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.13 and a beta of 0.65.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $1.31 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.35 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $6.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.39 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 232.55% and a net margin of 42.25%. Altria Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.31 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 10th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a $1.02 dividend. This is a positive change from Altria Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.60%. Altria Group’s payout ratio is presently 85.36%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on Altria Group from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Barclays lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $37.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. Argus upgraded Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 31st. Bank of America lifted their target price on Altria Group from $52.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, StockNews.com raised Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, June 28th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $48.58.

Altria Group 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.