Altria Group Inc (MO)

[EZ2]

Altria upgraded to buy at Deutsche Bank

6:07:51 AM ET 3/6/2007

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Deutsche Bank upgraded Altria Group (MO) to buy from hold, citing valuation. Deutsche Bank said a fall in the share price of Altria, the parent of tobacco giant Phillip Morris, over the last couple of months could be an opportunity to exploit concerns over the spin-off of its stake in Kraft Foods Inc. (KFT). "Although investors might also be wary of Altria's post-Kraft strategies, we continue to see an opportunity to unlock value through potential tobacco restructuring, balance sheet restructuring or mergers and acquisitions," the bank said.

MO 82.21 -1.27