Altria Group Stock Hits Day Low of $56.50 Amid Price Pressure

Altria Group, Inc., a prominent player in the FMCG sector, experienced a significant decline in its stock price today, dropping by 7.81% to touch an intraday low of USD 56.50. This downturn marks a challenging period for the company, which has seen a 11.52% decrease over the past week and a 13.52% decline in the last month.
Despite a positive annual performance of 13.13%, Altria's year-to-date growth stands at 9.26%, lagging behind the S&P 500's 17.15%. The company's long-term fundamentals appear weak, highlighted by a negative book value and a high debt-to-equity ratio. Operating profit growth has been modest, averaging just 2.36% annually over the past five years.

In terms of profitability, Altria reported a net profit of USD 4,031.83 million for the first half of the year, reflecting a substantial decline of 35.31%. The stock's current price-to-earnings ratio stands at 14.00, while its dividend yield remains attractive at 12.60%. However, the negative book value and high debt levels contribute to a perception of increased risk in the stock's valuation.