Altria Surges to 52-Week High on Earnings Beat Defying 187th Most Traded Ranking
Altria Group (NYSE:MO) closed August 18, 2025, with a 0.26% gain, trading at $66.29 per share, a 52-week high. The stock saw a daily trading volume of $490 million, down 26.86% from the previous day’s volume, ranking 187th among all equities in terms of liquidity. The company’s market capitalization stands at $111.3 billion, supported by a 12.8 P/E ratio and a 6.2% dividend yield that continues to attract income-focused investors.
Second-quarter earnings released in early August highlighted Altria’s outperformance against expectations. Adjusted diluted EPS reached $1.44, surpassing the $1.38 forecast, while revenue surged to $6.1 billion, well above the estimated $5.2 billion. This robust performance prompted BofA Securities to raise its price target to $64 from $63, maintaining a Buy rating. Analysts attributed the results to the company’s resilience in navigating economic headwinds and illicit trade challenges, reinforcing its strategic positioning in the tobacco sector.
The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day yielded a total profit of $2,340 between 2022 and the present. With a cumulative return of 23.4% on the initial investment, the approach demonstrated modest gains despite market volatility and a conservative holding period.

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