Altria Group Inc (MO)

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Why 5 of the Highest Yielding S&P 500 Stocks Are Almost Perfect Buys Now
By: 24/7 Wall St. | February 25, 2022

Investors love dividend stocks. Not only do they provide dependable income, but they also give investors a great opportunity for solid total return. Total return includes interest, capital gains, dividends and distributions realized over a given period. In other words, the total return on an investment or a portfolio includes both dividend income and stock appreciation.

We screened our 24/7 Wall St. research database looking for stock of S&P 500 companies that were rated Buy at major Wall Street firms and also had among the highest dividends in the venerable index. In addition, we focused on five that are very timely stocks to own for the balance of the first quarter and the rest of 2022.

It is important to remember that no single analyst report should be used as a sole basis for any buying or selling decision.

Altria

This maker of tobacco products offers value investors a great entry point now and was hit as cigarette sales have slowed. Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO) is the parent company of Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), UST (smokeless), John Middleton (cigars), Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Philip Morris Capital. PMUSA enjoys a 51% share of the U.S. cigarette market, led by its top cigarette brand Marlboro.

Altria also owns over 10% of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer. In March 2008, it spun off its international cigarette business to shareholders. In December 2018, the company acquired 35% of Juul Labs, and it has purchased a 45% stake in cannabis company Cronus for $1.8 billion.

The company also is rolling out its own heated and vapor products, such as Marlboro HeatSticks and IQOS, both of which are slowly being expanded across the United States.

The company has increased its dividend for over 50 consecutive years, and shareholders now receive a 6.93% dividend. Jefferies team has a $58 target on Altria stock, and the consensus price target of analysts is $54.08. Shares retreated almost 5% on Thursday to close at $49.57, despite recent positive news.

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