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.

Investors in Altria Group Inc (Symbol: MO) saw new options become available today, for the September 5th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the MO options chain for the new September 5th contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $54.00 strike price has a current bid of 22 cents. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $54.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $53.78 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of MO, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $59.65/share today.
Because the $54.00 strike represents an approximate 9% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 85%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 0.41% return on the cash commitment, or 3.46% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Altria Group Inc, and highlighting in green where the $54.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $62.00 strike price has a current bid of 68 cents. If an investor was to purchase shares of MO stock at the current price level of $59.65/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $62.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 5.08% if the stock gets called away at the September 5th expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if MO shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Altria Group Inc, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing MO's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $62.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $62.00 strike represents an approximate 4% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 69%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 1.14% boost of extra return to the investor, or 9.68% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 29%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 22%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 250 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $59.65) to be 20%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

MO September 5th Options Begin Trading

At Holdings Channel, we have reviewed the latest batch of the 22 most recent 13F filings for the 06/30/2025 reporting period, and noticed that Altria Group Inc (Symbol: MO) was held by 13 of these funds. When hedge fund managers appear to be thinking alike, we find it is a good idea to take a closer look.
Before we proceed, it is important to point out that 13F filings do not tell the whole story, because these funds are only required to disclose their long positions with the SEC, but are not required to disclose their short positions. A fund making a bearish bet against a stock by shorting calls, for example, might also be long some amount of stock as they trade around their overall bearish position. This long component could show up in a 13F filing and everyone might assume the fund is bullish, but this tells only part of the story because the bearish/short side of the position is not seen.
Having given that caveat, we believe that looking at groups of 13F filings can be revealing, especially when comparing one holding period to another. Below, let's take a look at the change in MO positions, for this latest batch of 13F filers:
In terms of shares owned, we count 5 of the above funds having increased existing MO positions from 03/31/2025 to 06/30/2025, with 4 having decreased their positions.
Looking beyond these particular funds in this one batch of most recent filers, we tallied up the MO share count in the aggregate among all of the funds which held MO at the 06/30/2025 reporting period (out of the 1,837 we looked at in total). We then compared that number to the sum total of MO shares those same funds held back at the 03/31/2025 period, to see how the aggregate share count held by hedge funds has moved for MO. We found that between these two periods, funds increased their holdings by 1,436,811 shares in the aggregate, from 23,767,550 up to 25,204,361 for a share count increase of approximately 6.05%. The overall top three funds holding MO on 06/30/2025 were:
We'll keep following the latest 13F filings by hedge fund managers and bring you interesting stories derived from a look at the aggregate information across groups of managers between filing periods. While looking at individual 13F filings can sometimes be misleading due to the long-only nature of the information, the sum total across groups of funds from one reporting period to another can be a lot more revealing and relevant, providing interesting stock ideas that merit further research, like Altria Group Inc (Symbol: MO).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

See Which Of The Latest 13F Filers Holds MO

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (Symbol: XLP) where we have detected an approximate $224.5 million dollar outflow -- that's a 1.4% decrease week over week (from 199,771,809 to 197,021,809). Among the largest underlying components of XLP, in trading today Mondelez International Inc (Symbol: MDLZ) is trading flat, Altria Group Inc (Symbol: MO) is down about 0.1%, and Colgate-Palmolive Co. (Symbol: CL) is lower by about 0.2%. 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 $75.605 per share, with $84.53 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $81.79. 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 ».
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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.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy ETF Outflows: XLP, MDLZ, MO, CL

Altria Group, Inc.’s MO on! nicotine pouch brand continues to outperform in an increasingly competitive marketplace, serving as a rare growth engine within its oral tobacco segment. While traditional brands like Copenhagen and Skoal posted double-digit volume declines in the first quarter of 2025, on! defied the trend, growing shipments by 18% to 39.3 million cans. This performance highlights the accelerating consumer shift toward nicotine pouches, which now represent 49.1% of the total U.S. oral tobacco category, an increase of 8.7 share points compared with the prior year.
on!’s share of the total oral tobacco market rose to 8.8%, a gain of 1.8 share points year over year and increased its nicotine pouch segment share to 17.9%, up 0.5 share points despite intensifying competition. Notably, Helix, a leading manufacturer of oral nicotine pouches, which manages the on! brand. Helix achieved this growth while raising retail prices and optimizing promotional spending, a clear sign of strengthening brand equity and loyalty among consumers.
Backed by the “It’s On!” campaign, Helix increased consumer impressions of on! by nearly five times compared with the prior year. Brand awareness among current nicotine pouch users rose to more than 60%, marking a 9-percentage point gain from the previous year. Looking ahead, Helix aims to maintain this momentum by broadening the campaign’s reach and deepening brand equity investments across both new and existing retail channels.
In short, on! is not just a growth contributor, the brand is the centerpiece of Altria’s oral tobacco strategy, serving as its primary vehicle for navigating the industry’s shift toward modern nicotine products.
MO Faces Rising Competition in Nicotine Pouches
In the U.S. nicotine pouch category, Philip Morris International PM continues to lead with its flagship brand ZYN. In the first quarter of 2025, Philip Morris’ ZYN shipped more than 200 million cans, representing a 63% increase year over year, driven by robust consumer demand and expanded production capacity. Despite ongoing supply constraints and restocking efforts, Philip Morris maintained ZYN’s dominant retail share, holding more than 70% of category value.
Turning Point Brands TPB is also expanding rapidly in the nicotine pouch space with its FRE and ALP brands. In the first quarter of 2025, Turning Point Brands reported $22.3 million in modern oral revenues, nearly a tenfold increase from the prior year. Turning Point Brands raised its full-year nicotine pouch sales forecast to $80-$95 million, indicating increased consumer adoption, broader market penetration and expanding commercial initiatives.
MO’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Altria have lost 2.6% in the past month compared with the industry’s decline of 0.8%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, MO trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 10.8X, down from the industry’s average of 15.21X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MO’s 2025 and 2026 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 4.9% and 3.1%, respectively.
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.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Is on! the Bright Spot in Altria's Oral Tobacco Portfolio?

$3,260,000 of ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC lobbying was just disclosed, from Q2 of 2025, in a new Lobbying Disclosure Act filing.
This included lobbying on issues like:
"HR 4121/S 2256: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026; potential provisions related to tobacco HR 4213: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026; potential provisions related to tobacco S. 2354: FY2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations; potential provisions related to tobacco H. Con. Res. 14: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034
HR 1: One Big Beautiful Bill Act; section 112031 related to Double Duty Drawback and corporate tax rates. Discussions concerning draft legislation to amend corporate tax rates Discussions concerning draft legislation on dividend tax rates Discussions regarding federal excise taxes on tobacco products Discussions concerning amendments to Section 958(b)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code Discussions concerning the full expensing of capital expenditures per the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act
HR 1798/S 819: End Tobacco Loopholes Act; all provisions of the bill HR 3838: Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery Act of 2025; provisions relating to enforcement efforts regarding illicit e-cigarettes and other unauthorized tobacco products S 2296: National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2025; provisions relating to enforcement efforts regarding illicit e-cigarettes and other unauthorized tobacco products FDA-2024-N-5471 Proposed Rule regarding Tobacco Product Standard for Nicotine Yield of Cigarettes and Certain Other Combusted Tobacco Products Implementation of P.L. 111-31 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act Implementation of P.L. 117-103 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022; provisions related to providing FDA authority to regulate products containing synthetic nicotine Discussions related to tobacco harm reduction Discussions concerning proposals to ban characterizing flavors in tobacco products Discussions regarding the FDAs need to urgently implement a compliance and enforcement plan to address and prohibit the importation and sale of illicit flavored, disposable electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products Discussions concerning nicotine analogue products and FDAs regulatory authority over such products Discussions regarding federal excise taxes and the taxation of tobacco products"
You can find more data on corporate lobbying on Quiver Quantitative.
MO Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 1,080 institutional investors add shares of MO stock to their portfolio, and 899 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
GQG PARTNERS LLC added 18,471,846 shares (+8146.4%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $1,108,680,196
BLACKROCK, INC. removed 8,315,413 shares (-6.2%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $499,091,088
MORGAN STANLEY added 4,181,263 shares (+20.0%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $250,959,405
VAN ECK ASSOCIATES CORP removed 4,080,371 shares (-53.0%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $244,903,867
CHARLES SCHWAB INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC added 3,483,487 shares (+5.8%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $209,078,889
JPMORGAN CHASE & CO added 3,415,237 shares (+40.0%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $204,982,524
BALYASNY ASSET MANAGEMENT L.P. removed 3,342,265 shares (-78.7%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $200,602,745
MO Analyst Ratings
Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $MO in the last several months. We have seen 1 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 2 firms issue sell ratings.
Here are some recent analyst ratings:
Jefferies issued a "Underperform" rating on 07/09/2025
Barclays issued a "Underweight" rating on 05/02/2025
Stifel issued a "Buy" rating on 04/30/2025
To track analyst ratings and price targets for MO, check out Quiver Quantitative's $MO forecast page.
Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $MO recently. We have seen 6 analysts offer price targets for $MO in the last 6 months, with a median target of $54.0.
Here are some recent targets:
Edward Mundy from Jefferies set a target price of $50.0 on 07/09/2025
Faham Baig from UBS set a target price of $59.0 on 07/02/2025
Gaurav Jain from Barclays set a target price of $49.0 on 05/02/2025
Matthew Smith from Stifel set a target price of $63.0 on 04/30/2025
Adam Spielman from Citigroup set a target price of $55.0 on 04/25/2025
Eric Serotta from Morgan Stanley set a target price of $53.0 on 01/31/2025
This article is not financial advice. See Quiver Quantitative's disclaimers for more information.
This article was originally published on Quiver News, read the full story.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Lobbying Update: $3,260,000 of ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC lobbying was just disclosed

Philip Morris International Inc. PM is likely to register growth in its top and bottom lines when it reports second-quarter 2025 earnings on July 22, before the market opens.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at almost $10.3 billion, implying an 8.3% increase from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure. The consensus mark for quarterly earnings has risen by a penny in the past 30 days to $1.85 per share, suggesting an increase of 16.4% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.
Philip Morris has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 3.6%. Nevertheless, in the last reported quarter, the company’s bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a margin of 5%. (Stay up-to-date with all quarterly releases: See Zacks Earnings Calendar.)
Earnings Whispers for PM Stock
Our proven model doesn’t conclusively predict an earnings beat for Philip Morris this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Philip Morris has an Earnings ESP of -0.04% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Philip Morris International Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
What’s Shaping Philip Morris’ Q2 Earnings?
Philip Morris’ ability to leverage strong pricing has been a key driver of its revenue and operating income growth. Smokers’ propensity to absorb price increases, given the addictive nature of cigarettes, has enabled the company to sustain revenue growth.
The company has continued to benefit from its significant strides toward a smoke-free future. Smoke-free products accounted for 44% of Philip Morris’ gross profit in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting the growing success of IQOS ILUMA, its flagship heat-not-burn device. Key innovations like ZYN nicotine pouches and VEEV ONE e-vapor have also been making substantial progress in driving the company’s smoke-free growth.
These upsides bode well for the quarter to be reported. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for total smoke-free product revenues (excluding Wellness and Healthcare) for the first quarter is pegged at $4,225.9 million, indicating an increase from $3,530 million recorded in the year-ago period. Apart from this, Philip Morris’ cost-saving measures and strategic initiatives to enhance its margins have been working well.
Building on its strong start to the year, Philip Morris is expected to have sustained solid momentum in smoke-free products during the second quarter. Management anticipates IQOS HTU adjusted IMS growth of around 10%. ZYN shipments in the U.S. are expected to have remained at similar levels to the first quarter as trade restocking continues, with further acceleration likely in the second half of the year.
On its lastearnings call PM forecasted adjusted earnings in the range of $1.80 to $1.85 for the second quarter, including a favorable currency impact of 6 cents a share. Performance in the quarter is likely to reflect the company’s efforts to expand its smoke-free portfolio, maintain pricing power in combustibles, and drive operational efficiencies, all of which remain key factors to monitor in the upcoming results.
PM’s Price Performance
Shares of Philip Morris have gained 9.7% over the past three months, outperforming the Zacks industry’s growth of 10.2%. However, the stock lagged behind the S&P 500’s robust advance of 19.5% over the same period.
Performance among major tobacco players, such as Altria Group Inc. MO, Turning Point Brands, Inc. TPB and British American Tobacco p.l.c. BTI, has varied over the past three months. Philip Morris was outpaced by Turning Point Brands, which surged 34.9%, and British American Tobacco, which gained 22.4%. However, PM outperformed Altria, which posted a more modest increase of 0.3% during the same period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Philip Morris’ Valuation Picture
From a valuation perspective, PM is trading at a premium compared with industry benchmarks. The company’s forward 12-month price-to-earnings multiple of 22.39X remains above the industry average of 15.21X. The company also outperformed its peers, Altria Group, Turning Point Brands, and British American Tobacco, which are all trading at lower forward P/E ratios of 10.63X, 21.55X and 10.76X, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Philip Morris’ Stock Analysis: Best Move for Investors Now
Philip Morris’ strong momentum in smoke-free products, combined with pricing power and solid earnings growth prospects, makes it an appealing choice for investors looking for exposure to the evolving global tobacco sector. Although the stock trades at a premium to peers, its growth profile and strategic transformation justify the valuation. Both existing and prospective investors could view the current levels as an opportunity to buy into the stock.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Should Philip Morris Stock Be in Your Portfolio Ahead of Q2 Earnings?

$60,000 of ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC lobbying was just disclosed, from Q2 of 2025, in a new Lobbying Disclosure Act filing.
This included lobbying on issues like:
"FY2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R.4121), FY2026 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R.4213), and FY2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations - provisions related to the regulation of tobacco products.
Issues related to the regulation of tobacco products.
Discussions related to FDA Tobacco and Cannabis Product Enforcement Policy.
Discussions regarding the taxation of tobacco products; H.R.1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act."
You can find more data on corporate lobbying on Quiver Quantitative.
MO Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 1,084 institutional investors add shares of MO stock to their portfolio, and 891 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
GQG PARTNERS LLC added 18,471,846 shares (+8146.4%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $1,108,680,196
BLACKROCK, INC. removed 8,315,413 shares (-6.2%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $499,091,088
MORGAN STANLEY added 4,181,263 shares (+20.0%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $250,959,405
VAN ECK ASSOCIATES CORP removed 4,080,371 shares (-53.0%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $244,903,867
CHARLES SCHWAB INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC added 3,483,487 shares (+5.8%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $209,078,889
JPMORGAN CHASE & CO added 3,415,237 shares (+40.0%) to their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $204,982,524
BALYASNY ASSET MANAGEMENT L.P. removed 3,342,265 shares (-78.7%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $200,602,745
MO Analyst Ratings
Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $MO in the last several months. We have seen 1 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 2 firms issue sell ratings.
Here are some recent analyst ratings:
Jefferies issued a "Underperform" rating on 07/09/2025
Barclays issued a "Underweight" rating on 05/02/2025
Stifel issued a "Buy" rating on 04/30/2025
To track analyst ratings and price targets for MO, check out Quiver Quantitative's $MO forecast page.
Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $MO recently. We have seen 6 analysts offer price targets for $MO in the last 6 months, with a median target of $54.0.
Here are some recent targets:
Edward Mundy from Jefferies set a target price of $50.0 on 07/09/2025
Faham Baig from UBS set a target price of $59.0 on 07/02/2025
Gaurav Jain from Barclays set a target price of $49.0 on 05/02/2025
Matthew Smith from Stifel set a target price of $63.0 on 04/30/2025
Adam Spielman from Citigroup set a target price of $55.0 on 04/25/2025
Eric Serotta from Morgan Stanley set a target price of $53.0 on 01/31/2025
This article is not financial advice. See Quiver Quantitative's disclaimers for more information.
This article was originally published on Quiver News, read the full story.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Lobbying Update: $60,000 of ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC lobbying was just disclosed

Key Points
This Dividend King has a high yield and trades at a bargain price.
This leading restaurant brand offers a high yield as its new CEO implements a promising strategy to return the business to growth.
This top dividend stock is also delivering double-digit growth on the bottom line.
Investors looking for solid income stocks to boost their passive income can find some attractive opportunities in 2025. The past few years have seen high inflation and interest rates put pressure on the financial results and share prices of top consumer brands. This has driven the dividend yield up to attractive levels for several top companies.
To give you some ideas, three Fool.com contributors believe Target (NYSE: TGT), Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), and Philip Morris (NYSE: PM) are solid buys today. Here's why these companies should pay growing dividends to shareholders for years to come.
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Low price, top dividend
Jennifer Saibil (Target): It might seem surprising to hear that Target is an excellent stock to buy now, considering its declining sales. But there are good reasons to believe it can bounce back, and with its cheap price and top dividend, now could be a great time to take a position.
Target has dealt with a slew of problems over the past few years, and its stock is 62% off its highs. Things may not improve much in the short term; its most pressing problems today are that customers are still holding back on discretionary purchases due to inflation, and home improvement is still suffering from a low real estate market. In the 2025 fiscal first quarter (ended May 3), sales were down 2.8% from last year, and comparable sales (comps) were down 3.8%.
However, it's making progress in certain key areas, like keeping costs down, and operating income increased 19% year over year. It's also still a star in omnichannel options. Digital comps increased 4.7% over last year in the first quarter, and same-day delivery sales in the membership program were up 35%.
Management initiated a new enterprise acceleration office to focus on how the company can leverage technology and data to improve its connectedness and agility. Its goals are improving functionality and speed, and that complements its digital strength.
Target was in a similar situation in 2017 before the pandemic, and at that time, it invested in digital channels before it was what everyone was doing. That put it in a great position to excel early in the pandemic, and today it's following a similar playbook.
Shareholders may be lamenting the price drop, but they're still enjoying the top dividend. Target is a Dividend King, having raised its dividend 54 years straight. That indicates reliability and growth. At the current price, the dividend yields 4.4%.
If you don't own the stock, you can buy today while it's trading at a bargain price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of only 11. If you can buy and hold for 20 years, you're likely to be well rewarded, from both the stock and the dividend.
Starbucks offers an appetizing yield of 2.6%
John Ballard (Starbucks): Starbucks stock has underperformed the market indices the past few years. In fact, it's still trading at about the same share price in 2019. But the company has continued to grow its dividend, bringing the yield up to an attractive 2.61%.
Starbucks' business is not performing well. Sales have fallen over the past year, but its comparable-store sales are starting to flatten, down just 1% year over year in the company's March-ending fiscal Q2.
New CEO Brian Niccol, who came over from Chipotle last year, appears to be the right leader to turn Starbucks around. Niccol is focusing on building a customer-centric brand and turning Starbucks' coffeehouses into places where customers want to hang out again. This follows a proven strategy that if you take care of customers first, everything else falls into place.
Starbucks is the McDonald's of coffee. That is a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective. From a dividend investor's view, it's a good thing. With a Starbucks on every corner, it has tremendous global presence and scale that produces overall consistent financial results and dividend payments.
Over the last five years, the dividend grew from $1.44 in fiscal 2019 (ended in September) to $2.28 in fiscal 2024. At the current quarterly payment of $0.61, Starbucks should pay $2.44 for fiscal 2025. This is even as weak sales are expected to send adjusted earnings down to $2.47 this year, which is enough to cover the dividend, especially as Starbucks returns to earnings growth over the next few years.
Starbucks has the brand to get back on track, especially with a talented CEO at the helm. The stock offers solid value right now that can potentially pay growing dividends for a lifetime.
A great combination of growth and dividends
Jeremy Bowman (Philip Morris International): One dividend stock that looks well-positioned to deliver for investors over the next two decades is Philip Morris International.
Philip Morris International was formed in the divorce between Altria and Philip Morris in 2007. Altria kept the domestic business, while PMI sold the same products in international market. That's proven to be the more favorable side of the business, as smoking rates remain higher in places like Europe, Latin America, and Asia, and have not declined as fast as in the U.S.
Meanwhile, PMI has also innovated with next-gen, smoke-free products like Iqos, heat-not-burn devices, which function like vapes but use real tobacco instead of liquid, and it has found success with Zyn oral nicotine pouches, which it gained in its acquisition of Swedish Match in 2022. In fact, the success of its next-gen products may be the best reason to buy Philip Morris stock today, as they now make up more than 40% of its revenue.
Unlike its big tobacco peers, Philip Morris is delivering impressive growth, bucking the expectations of declines in the industry.
In the first quarter, organic revenue, which strips out the effect of currency exchange, acquisitions, and divestitures, rose 10.2% to $9.3 billion. That included 20.4% organic growth in the smoke-free business to $3.9 billion. Even cigarette sales are still growing as well, with volume sales up 1.1% in the period to $144.8 billion in the quarter.
The company also delivered strong growth on the bottom line, with adjusted earnings per share up 17% to $1.76. As a dividend payer, the company offers a yield of 3% today, and it has a long track record of raising its payout, dating back to its days when it was tied to Altria.
With the strength of its new products and the resilience of its cigarette business, Philip Morris should remain a rewarding dividend stock for years to come.
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Jennifer Saibil has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Jeremy Bowman has positions in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Starbucks, and Target. John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill, Starbucks, and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Philip Morris International and recommends the following options: short June 2025 $55 calls on Chipotle Mexican Grill. 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 Magnificent Dividend Stocks to Buy Today and Hold for 20 Years

Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. KDP is scheduled to release second-quarter 2025 results on July 24, before the market opens. The company is expected to register top-line growth when it reports the quarterly results. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues is pegged at $4.14 billion, indicating a 5.5% rise from the year-ago period’s number.
The consensus estimate for KDP’s second-quarter earnings is pegged at 49 cents per share, suggesting 8.9% growth from 45 cents reported in the prior-year quarter. (Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.)
In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 10.53%. KDP has registered an earnings surprise of 3.1%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.
Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
What the Zacks Model Unveils for KDP Stock
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Keurig this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that’s not the case here. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Keurig has a Zacks Rank #3 at present and an Earnings ESP of -0.01%.
Key Factors to Note Ahead of KDP’s Q2 Results
Keurig is well-positioned to deliver a strong second-quarter 2025 performance, building on the momentum of a solid first quarter. Continued brand strength, strategic pricing actions and innovation-led growth are expected to remain key drivers. The company’s expansion initiatives and focus on product innovation are acting as tailwinds, while the Refreshment Beverages segment continues to show robust momentum. Additionally, the recent GHOST energy acquisition is likely to further boost results through enhanced market presence and incremental sales.
In particular, the U.S. Refreshment Beverages segment is expected to remain a growth engine, led by sustained performance in the carbonated soft drinks (CSD) category. Brands like Dr Pepper, Canada Dry and 7UP are gaining share, supported by impactful innovations such as Dr Pepper Blackberry and 7UP Tropical. Emerging brands, including Electrolit and Bloom Sparkling Energy, are also gaining traction and are likely to have contributed meaningfully to second-quarter top-line growth. The GHOST acquisition has already delivered a solid start and is expected to accelerate results as integration continues.
KDP’s consumer-centric innovation strategy, backed by detailed scorecards measuring awareness, household penetration and loyalty, is expected to have supported continued market share gains in the quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Refreshment Beverages unit sales is pegged at $804 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 12.8%.
On the international front, KDP anticipates improved growth in the second quarter, driven by late first-quarter price realization tied to inflation and the activation of stronger commercial strategies across key markets. In Mexico and Canada, momentum remains strong with brands like Penafiel, Crush and Dr Pepper, all of which benefit from strong local resonance. Continued pricing optimization and disciplined cost management are expected to have supported both top-line growth and margin expansion across international operations.
However, the company continues to face inflationary pressures, particularly in its Coffee segment, which has remained sluggish for some time. The segment continues to grapple with elevated green coffee costs, reduced brewer shipments and cautious consumer spending. While KDP implemented early price increases to mitigate inflation, the uneven timing of industry-wide pricing created short-term volume and mix challenges. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales in the Coffee unit is $264 million, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 10.8%.
Valuation Picture
From a valuation perspective, Keurig stock is trading at a discount relative to historical and industry benchmarks. With a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 16.03x, which is well below the five-year high of 23.33x and the Beverages - Soft Drinks industry’s average of 17.96x, the stock offers compelling value for investors seeking exposure to the sector.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The recent market movements show that KDP’s shares have risen 7.2% in the past six months compared with the industry's growth of 5.9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks With the Favorable Combination
Here are some companies that, according to our model, have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV BUD, aka AB InBev, currently has an Earnings ESP of +7.06% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The company is likely to register a decline in the top line when it reports second-quarter 2025 numbers. The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $15.33 million, indicating a decline of 0.01% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AB InBev’s quarterly earnings per share is 89 cents, implying a 1.1% decrease from the year-ago quarter. The consensus mark for earnings has fallen by 2 cents in the past 30 days. BUD has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 10.9%, on average.
Primo Brands Corporation PRMB currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.38% and a Zacks Rank of 3. PRMB is anticipated to register growth in its top and bottom lines when it reports second-quarter 2025 results. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Primo Brands’ quarterly revenues is pegged at $1.8 billion, indicating a surge of 275.5% from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter.
The consensus estimate for Primo Brands’ bottom line has moved down by 2 cents in the past 30 days to 43 cents per share. This implies growth of 65.4% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. PRMB has delivered an earnings beat of 3.5%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.
Altria Group, Inc. MO currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.03% and a Zacks Rank of 3. MO is anticipated to register top-line decline and bottom-line growth when it reports second-quarter 2025 results. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Altria Group revenues is pegged at $5.2 billion, indicating a decline of 1.7% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.
The consensus estimate for Altria’s earnings has increased a penny in the past seven days to $1.37 per share. The consensus estimate implies a decline of 4.6% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. MO has delivered an earnings beat of 1.3%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They include
Stock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and Resilience
Stock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the Dip
Stock #3: One of the Most Compelling Investments in the Market
Stock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for Growth
Stock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to Spring
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Keurig to Post Q2 Earnings: What Is in the Cards for Investors?

Key Points
In some ways, Altria and Philip Morris International are tied at the hip.
The two tobacco businesses couldn't be more different in some key ways.
Smart investors are avoiding one of these companies but love the other.
Altria (NYSE: MO) is an iconic consumer staples maker that has shifted and changed over the years. Today it is largely a tobacco stock, though it has investments in a beverage maker. Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) shares some of the storied history of Altria, but the smartest investors know that its business is better.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »
How are Altria and Philip Morris related?
Altria's most important cigarette brand is Marlboro. Marlboro has a huge 41% market share in the North American market. Add in the company's other, much smaller, brands, and Altria's market share rises to around 45%. Marlboro is also one of Philip Morris International's most important cigarette brands.
The reason for this is that Altria spun off its international operations to create Philip Morris International. So Altria controls the brands in North America and Philip Morris controls them everywhere else. This is an important distinction for any investor considering buying a tobacco stock. And it is one of the reasons why Philip Morris is performing better as a stock and business than Altria.
What's going on with Altria?
In the first quarter of 2025, Altria's cigarette volume fell 13.7%, continuing a long downward trend. Marlboro lost a percentage point of market share, with other brands doing even worse. Despite being a consumer staples giant, with a product that tends to have huge brand loyalty, the industry trends in the U.S. market are taking a huge toll on Altria's business.
Altria knows it has a problem and has been trying to find a solution. Only it has made a number of large missteps, costing investors billions of dollars in write-downs. Altria simply isn't executing very well as it works through what is likely to be an increasingly challenging market environment.
Philip Morris, on the other hand, is executing very well. The foreign markets it serves appear to be less challenged, noting that cigarette volumes actually increased in the first quarter of 2025. That helped lead to a modest 0.4-percentage-point market share gain for the company. Thus, Philip Morris' foundation is stronger.
That said, the real standout for Philip Morris is the growth of its non-cigarette operations. In the first quarter, the company's smoke-free business generated 42% of its revenue and 44% of its profits. Some of its strongest non-cigarette businesses are vapes and pouches. Its pouches compete in the U.S. market, meaning Philip Morris is now a competitor to its former owner. And one that appears to be running rings around Altria as that company struggles to move beyond cigarettes.
Philip Morris is in a much better position
Investors who buy Altria are betting the tobacco giant can change with the times and find non-cigarette businesses to replace its slowly declining core. Or, to put it another way, if you buy Altria today you are hoping it can achieve the same success as Philip Morris. Most investors will probably be better off avoiding the risk that Altria keeps stumbling and just buying the better-performing tobacco company.
Should you invest $1,000 in Altria Group right now?
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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $674,281!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,050,415!*
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Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Philip Morris International. 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, Inc.

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