Altria Increases Quarterly Dividend 2.9% to $0.35 per Common Share

Source from:  Altria Group, Inc. 02/26/2010

Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) (NYSE: MO) today announced that its Board of Directors voted to increase the company's regular quarterly dividend by 2.9% to $0.35 per common share versus its previous quarterly dividend of $0.34 per common share. This increase is consistent with the previously announced change in the company's dividend payout ratio target from approximately 75% to approximately 80% of its adjusted diluted earnings per share, reflecting the company's intention to return a large amount of cash to shareholders in the form of dividends. The new annualized dividend rate is $1.40 per common share. The quarterly dividend is payable on April 9, 2010, to stockholders of record as of March 15, 2010. The ex-dividend date is March 11, 2010. Enditem