Spotlight on Altria Group: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Altria Group MO.

And retail traders should know.

We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.

Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with MO, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.

Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 23 options trades for Altria Group.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 78% bullish and 8%, bearish.

Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $25,016, and 22, calls, for a total amount of $834,461.

What's The Price Target?

After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $42.5 and $50.0 for Altria Group, spanning the last three months.

Volume & Open Interest Development

Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Altria Group's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Altria Group's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $42.5 to $50.0 over the preceding 30 days.

Altria Group Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview

Significant Options Trades Detected:

About Altria Group

Altria comprises Philip Morris USA, us Smokeless Tobacco, John Middleton, Horizon Innovations, and Helix Innovations. Through its tobacco subsidiaries, Altria maintains the leading position in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the United States and the number-two spot in machine-made cigars. The company's Marlboro brand is the leading cigarette brand in the us with 42% annual share in 2023. Beyond its core business, it holds an 8% interest in the world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, a 42% stake in cannabis manufacturer Cronos, acquired Njoy Holdings in 2023, and operates a joint venture with Japan Tobacco in the heated tobacco category. It also recently disposed of its investment in Juul Labs.

After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Altria Group, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.

Current Position of Altria Group

• With a volume of 3,414,356, the price of MO is up 0.28% at $51.26.
• RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.
• Next earnings are expected to be released in 71 days.

Professional Analyst Ratings for Altria Group

Over the past month, 2 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $48.5.

• An analyst from Barclays has decided to maintain their Underweight rating on Altria Group, which currently sits at a price target of $43.
• An analyst from Stifel persists with their Buy rating on Altria Group, maintaining a target price of $54.

Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Altria Group options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.