Altria Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company offers cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; large cigars and pipe tobacco under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; oral nicotine pouches under the on! brand; and e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand. It sells its products to distributors, as well as large retail organizations, such as chain stores. The company was founded in 1822 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

Altria Group, Inc.

Altria (MO) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.3 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.32 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.29 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -1.13%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this owner of Philip Morris USA, the nation's largest cigarette maker would post earnings of $1.44 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.45, delivering a surprise of +0.69%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Altria, which belongs to the Zacks Tobacco industry, posted revenues of $5.08 billion for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.54%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $5.11 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Altria shares have added about 9.5% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 1.9%.
What's Next for Altria?
While Altria has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Altria was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.24 on $4.51 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $5.58 on $20 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Tobacco is currently in the bottom 32% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Ispire Technology Inc. (ISPR), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended December 2025.
This company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.01 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +92.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Ispire Technology Inc.'s revenues are expected to be $32.8 million, down 21.6% from the year-ago quarter.
Should You Invest in Altria Group, Inc. (MO)?
Before you invest in Altria Group, Inc. (MO), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.
Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Altria (MO) Lags Q4 Earnings Estimates

(RTTNews) - Altria Group Inc. (MO) will host a conference call at 9:00 AM ET on January 29, 2026, to discuss Q4 25 earnings results.
To access the live webcast, log on to https://www.altria.com/Investors/events-and-presentations
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Altria Group Q4 25 Earnings Conference Call At 9:00 AM ET

(RTTNews) - Altria Group Inc. (MO) revealed a profit for fourth quarter that Drops, from last year
The company's earnings totaled $1.117 billion, or $0.66 per share. This compares with $3.039 billion, or $1.79 per share, last year.
Excluding items, Altria Group Inc. reported adjusted earnings of $2.182 billion or $1.30 per share for the period.
The company's revenue for the period fell 2.1% to $5.846 billion from $5.974 billion last year.
Altria Group Inc. earnings at a glance (GAAP) :
-Earnings: $1.117 Bln. vs. $3.039 Bln. last year. -EPS: $0.66 vs. $1.79 last year. -Revenue: $5.846 Bln vs. $5.974 Bln last year.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Altria Group Inc. Bottom Line Declines In Q4

The following companies are expected to report earnings prior to market open on 01/29/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases.
Mastercard Incorporated (MA)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The financial transactions company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 15 analysts that follow the stock is $4.20. This value represents a 9.95% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year MA has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 1.62%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for MA is 31.66 vs. an industry ratio of 13.90, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The machinery company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 11 analysts that follow the stock is $4.67. This value represents a 9.14% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for CAT is 34.28 vs. an industry ratio of 8.20, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (TMO)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The medical instruments company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 12 analysts that follow the stock is $6.43. This value represents a 5.41% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year TMO has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 5.27%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for TMO is 27.45 vs. an industry ratio of 1.50, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Honeywell International Inc. (HON)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The diversified operations company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $2.53. This value represents a 2.43% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year HON has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 10.16%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for HON is 21.49 vs. an industry ratio of 21.70.
Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The aerospace and defense company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 9 analysts that follow the stock is $6.24. This value represents a 18.64% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year LMT has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 9.79%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for LMT is 21.51 vs. an industry ratio of 5.30, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Sanofi (SNY)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The large cap pharmaceutical company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 6 analysts that follow the stock is $0.84. This value represents a 20.00% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for SNY is 10.55 vs. an industry ratio of 17.30.
Parker-Hannifin Corporation (PH)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The machinery company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 11 analysts that follow the stock is $7.15. This value represents a 9.49% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year PH has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 8.25%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for PH is 30.45 vs. an industry ratio of 20.90, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Blackstone Inc. (BX)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The financial services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $1.52. This value represents a 10.06% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year BX has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 25.62%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for BX is 27.79 vs. an industry ratio of 11.00, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Altria Group (MO)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The tobacco company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 6 analysts that follow the stock is $1.31. This value represents a 1.55% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year MO has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 0.69%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for MO is 11.69 vs. an industry ratio of 10.70, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Comcast Corporation (CMCSA)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The cable tv company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $0.75. This value represents a 21.88% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year CMCSA has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 1.82%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for CMCSA is 6.82 vs. an industry ratio of 7.30.
Marsh (MRSH)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The business services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 9 analysts that follow the stock is $1.97. This value represents a 5.35% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year MRSH has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 3.35%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for MRSH is 18.65 vs. an industry ratio of 19.50.
Trane Technologies plc (TT)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The technology services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $2.82. This value represents a 8.05% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year TT has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 2.11%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for TT is 30.11 vs. an industry ratio of 13.30, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Pre-Market Earnings Report for January 29, 2026 : MA, CAT, TMO, HON, LMT, SNY, PH, BX, MO, CMCSA, MRSH, TT

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (Symbol: XLP) where we have detected an approximate $224.5 million dollar outflow -- that's a 1.4% decrease week over week (from 198,571,809 to 195,871,809). Among the largest underlying components of XLP, in trading today Mondelez International Inc (Symbol: MDLZ) is trading flat, Colgate-Palmolive Co. (Symbol: CL) is down about 0.3%, and Altria Group Inc (Symbol: MO) is up by about 0.7%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the XLP Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of XLP, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, XLP's low point in its 52 week range is $75.16 per share, with $84.35 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $83.08. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Also see:
KBDC YTD Return
Institutional Holders of XMPT
MRBK Dividend History
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

XLP, MDLZ, CL, MO: Large Outflows Detected at ETF

Key Points
Costco Wholesale's subscription-based business model works wonders for investors.
Coca-Cola is an anchor stock for any long-term dividend portfolio.
Altria Group continues to pump out a massive dividend thanks to Marlboro's pricing power.
There's a lot to like about investing in dividend stocks. They pay you income that you can reinvest for more dividends, or simply take that money and pay your bills with it. The beauty of it all is that you never have to sell your shares.
Consumer spending is the heartbeat of the economy. Investors can find many high-quality dividend stocks in consumer-facing companies with strong brands and long track records of success.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Some excellent examples include Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO), and Altria Group (NYSE: MO). All three represent very different investing styles. Here is the skinny on each one.
1. A leading retailer with a loyal customer base
Costco Wholesale might be the only store with a borderline cult following. People flock to the membership-only big-box retailer for its famous hot-dog meal deal and deals on bulk quantity merchandise. As one of the world's largest retailers, it can source and sell products at low prices. In fact, most of Costco's profit doesn't come from merchandise sales, but from the subscription fees members pay.
The company has paid and raised its dividend for 20 consecutive years. While the stock yields only 0.5%, there is room for growth, as Costco spends only a quarter of its earnings on dividends. Costco has also paid an occasional special dividend over the years, a potential bonus for long-term investors.
2. A global icon with decades of dividend growth
Coca-Cola built a global empire on its namesake soda. Today, the company sells billions of servings of soda, water, juice, coffee, and other beverages worldwide. Everyone gets thirsty, so Coca-Cola has rarely felt its business fall into slumps over the years. As a result, Coca-Cola is a Dividend King, with more than 50 consecutive annual dividend increases -- 62, to be exact.
The stock also offers a solid balance of income and growth. Shares yield just under 3% today, while the company is growing at a mid-single-digit growth rate. A rising global population, worldwide brand recognition, and a highly fragmented beverage market leave room for decades of growth yet to come. Investors can simply hold shares and reinvest dividends for as long as they'd like.
3. A steady stock with a juicy 6.8% yield
Altria Group, the tobacco giant and parent company of Marlboro cigarettes in the United States, has defied the doubters. Cigarette smoking has declined for decades after peaking around the 1960s. However, the addictive nature of tobacco affords Altria incredible pricing power. As a result, Altria's profits continue to grow despite the company selling fewer cigarettes each year. That playbook hasn't stopped working yet.
Although Altria's earnings grow at a low single-digit rate these days, it's still enough to make Altria a Dividend King. The company has managed 54 consecutive annual dividend increases, and the stock's whopping 6.8% dividend yield helps make up for its sluggish growth. Eventually, Altria must pivot away from traditional tobacco products. That said, investors can likely count on its dividend for a while yet.
Should you buy stock in Costco Wholesale right now?
Before you buy stock in Costco Wholesale, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Costco Wholesale wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $462,174!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,143,099!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 946% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 28, 2026.
Justin Pope has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

3 Consumer Dividend Stocks for Investors Seeking Steady Income: Costco, Coca-Cola, and Altria

Altria Group, Inc. MO has long been defined by its leadership in U.S. tobacco. But the company is increasingly pointing to non-nicotine and wellness categories as part of its “long-term adjacent growth” strategy. This direction was reinforced in late 2025 through a collaboration memorandum of understanding with KT&G Corporation, highlighting Altria’s intent to explore consumer opportunities beyond traditional nicotine-based products.
A key pillar of the partnership is the joint exploration of U.S. non-nicotine opportunities, aligning with Altria’s broader diversification ambition first articulated in March 2023. Management has indicated that the collaboration combines KT&G’s product expertise with Altria’s U.S. commercialization capabilities, allowing the latter to evaluate whether its distribution scale and consumer reach can support products outside tobacco and nicotine.
Altria has indicated that the initiative is not intended to drive near-term growth. Instead, non-nicotine exploration is being approached as part of a broader review of adjacent markets that could help diversify the business over time as cigarette volumes decline. By including these efforts within its “Optimize & Accelerate” framework, the company is emphasizing a structured approach focused on evaluating execution and strategic alignment.
Overall, the wellness initiative underscores a gradual broadening of Altria’s strategic scope. While still in the early stages, the effort reflects management’s interest in understanding how far the company’s commercial capabilities can extend beyond its traditional tobacco and smoke-free product portfolio, without committing to immediate scale or material investment.
How MO’s Strategy Stacks Up Against Key Peers
Philip Morris International Inc. PM is advancing its smoke-free transformation, with smoke-free products accounting for roughly 41% of total net revenues in the third quarter of 2025. While it remains focused on nicotine-based innovation through brands such as IQOS and ZYN, Philip Morris has also reassessed the broader wellness ambitions. Recent disclosures indicate a cautious approach, with wellness viewed as a longer-term opportunity while Philip Morris remains focused on advancing its core smoke-free product portfolio.
Turning Point Brands, Inc. TPB is expanding primarily through its Modern Oral segment, led by white nicotine pouch brands FRE and ALP. In the third quarter of 2025, Turning Point Brands’ Modern Oral sales surged 627.6% year over year and accounted for 30.8% of total net sales. Turning Point Brands is supporting this growth through increased sales investment and the planned start-up of a new U.S. manufacturing facility in early 2026.
Altria’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Altria have gained 9.3% in the past month compared with the industry’s growth of 6.3%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, MO trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 11.28X, down from the industry’s average of 15.3X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MO’s current and next financial years’ earnings has inched up 3 cents to $5.44 and 2 cents to $5.58, respectively, in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Altria currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Just Released: Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2026
Hurry – you can still get in early on our 10 top tickers for 2026. Handpicked by Zacks Director of Research Sheraz Mian, this portfolio has been stunningly and consistently successful.
From inception in 2012 through November, 2025, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,530.8%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +570.3%.
Sheraz has combed through 4,400 companies covered by the Zacks Rank and handpicked the best 10 to buy and hold in 2026. You can still be among the first to see these just-released stocks with enormous potential.
See New Top 10 Stocks >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Altria Expands Beyond Nicotine: Is MO's Strategy Worth Watching?

In its upcoming report, Altria (MO) is predicted by Wall Street analysts to post quarterly earnings of $1.31 per share, reflecting an increase of 1.6% compared to the same period last year. Revenues are forecasted to be $5 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 2%.
Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been adjusted downward by 0.4% to its current level. This demonstrates the covering analysts' collective reassessment of their initial projections during this period.
Ahead of a company's earnings disclosure, it is crucial to give due consideration to changes in earnings estimates. These revisions serve as a noteworthy factor in predicting potential investor reactions to the stock. Numerous empirical studies consistently demonstrate a strong relationship between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.
While it's common for investors to rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates for assessing how the business may have performed during the quarter, exploring analysts' forecasts for key metrics can yield valuable insights.
With that in mind, let's delve into the average projections of some Altria metrics that are commonly tracked and projected by analysts on Wall Street.
The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Revenues net of excise taxes- Oral Tobacco Products' will likely reach $673.99 million. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +1.7%.
Analysts' assessment points toward 'Revenues net of excise taxes- Smokeable Products' reaching $4.29 billion. The estimate suggests a change of -3% year over year.
Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Operating Companies Income- Reported OCI- Oral Tobacco Products' should arrive at $466.35 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $453.00 million.
Analysts expect 'Operating Companies Income- Adjusted OCI- Smokeable Products' to come in at $2.67 billion. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $2.71 billion in the same quarter of the previous year.
View all Key Company Metrics for Altria here>>>
Over the past month, shares of Altria have returned +7.5% versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. Currently, MO carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), suggesting that its performance may align with the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor Stock
This under-the-radar company specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. And it's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.
With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $971 billion by 2028.
See This Stock Now for Free >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Insights Into Altria (MO) Q4: Wall Street Projections for Key Metrics

Key Points
Altria stock trades at a P/E ratio of 12.
The company offers a growing dividend currently yielding 6.8%.
Tobacco giant Altria Group (NYSE: MO) is in a difficult position. The company has long mitigated the detrimental effect of declining smoking rates on its revenue by raising product prices. Now, revenue falling anyway seems to suggest that the approach has stopped working.
Even more puzzling, the stock price has trended higher since the beginning of 2024 despite this new development, and despite the share price gain, the stock now sells at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12. The conflicting data has some investors questioning whether that makes the stock too cheap to ignore, as well as asking whether they should avoid it.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »
Altria and its dividend
When it comes to surviving strong headwinds, it is difficult to find a story that surpasses Altria's. The Surgeon General released a report in 1964 highlighting the dangers of smoking. Between declining usage and hundreds of billions of dollars in legal settlements related to its product, it might be easy to dismiss the tobacco company's stock on the surface.
However, since then, both the stock and its dividend have moved higher for most of that history. The annual payout, now at $4.24 per share, has a dividend yield of 6.8%. Altria's dividend has also risen every year since 2009 and increased annually between 1989 and 2006.
Unfortunately, the tobacco giant has delivered a mixed performance more recently. Altria beat the S&P 500 when including dividend returns, though the stock itself dramatically underperformed the market.
Its failed attempts to counter the decline in smoking may be the heart of the problem, considering what Altria owns. In 2018, it paid $12.8 billion for a 35% stake in e-cigarette maker Juul. Amid issues with lawsuits and regulatory crackdowns, it traded that stake for some of Juul's intellectual property and invested in e-cigarette market NJOY.
Also, in 2019, it invested 2.4 billion Canadian dollars ($1.7 billion) for a 45% stake in cannabis company Cronos Group. Today, Cronos' market cap is under $1 billion.
Such missteps cost the company, and now, sustaining the dividend is becoming a struggle. Over the trailing 12 months, it generated around $9.2 billion in free cash flow. That covered the $6.9 billion in dividend costs but left relatively little cash available for other purposes.
Hence, unless Altria can reverse the revenue declines, it could endanger its ability to continue raising the dividend.
Is Altria stock too cheap to ignore?
Given Altria's challenges, investors can likely afford to ignore the stock despite a low valuation.
On the surface, its 6.8% dividend yield may look appealing when considering its P/E ratio of 12. Unfortunately, price increases are failing to sustain revenue levels as more people quit smoking. Moreover, attempts to start new business lines in related industries cost the company billions. As a result, its rising dividend claims a large majority of its free cash flow.
Admittedly, it is not too late to succeed with e-cigarettes or even cannabis, and it is also possible that tobacco use will stop declining. Nonetheless, unless conditions in its business turn around soon, this is likely not a stock worth buying, even at its current valuation.
Should you buy stock in Altria Group right now?
Before you buy stock in Altria Group, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Altria Group wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $450,525!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,133,107!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 937% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 195% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 23, 2026.
Will Healy has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Cronos Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Altria Group: Is This High-Yield Dividend Stock Too Cheap to Ignore?​

Altria (MO) ended the recent trading session at $61.91, demonstrating a +1.44% change from the preceding day's closing price. The stock's change was more than the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.03%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.58%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 0.28%.
The stock of owner of Philip Morris USA, the nation's largest cigarette maker has risen by 3.48% in the past month, leading the Consumer Staples sector's gain of 3.32% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.6%.
The upcoming earnings release of Altria will be of great interest to investors. The company's earnings report is expected on January 29, 2026. In that report, analysts expect Altria to post earnings of $1.31 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 1.55%. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $5 billion, indicating a 2.04% downward movement from the same quarter last year.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $5.43 per share and a revenue of $20.08 billion, demonstrating changes of +6.05% and 0%, respectively, from the preceding year.
Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Altria. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.
The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.13% higher. Altria currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Looking at valuation, Altria is presently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 10.96. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 12.15, which means Altria is trading at a discount to the group.
Meanwhile, MO's PEG ratio is currently 3.38. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. The Tobacco industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 2.88 as of yesterday's close.
The Tobacco industry is part of the Consumer Staples sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 190, which puts it in the bottom 23% of all 250+ industries.
The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.
Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains
Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.
While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.
Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.
Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.
See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.