I assume that many of you are aware that I recently trimmed back on my Altria (MO) position. I wrote two articles focused on this trade, both of which generated over 100 comments (the first has more than 500, which is my all-time high on a single article). Needless to say, MO has a highly passionate following here at Seeking Alpha. I know that MO, and the Philip Morris (NYSE:PM) family of stocks that have been spun off over the years, have been anchors for many income-oriented portfolios over the years.

I get it - this stock has played a major role in securing the retirements of a generation of retail investors, having made many of them wealthy in the process. Although I don’t believe that investors should ever become emotionally attached to individual holdings, I can understand why so many seem to have placed their beloved MO up high on a pedestal.

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