Altria Group Inc NYSE:MO Price, Chart, News & Insight

Altria Surges 7.5% as Pricing Power and Margin Expansion Defy Tobacco Volume Decline

Altria shares are up 7.5% in trading today (April 30), the stock's best single-day performance in months, as Q1 2026 results demonstrated once again that the company's pricing discipline and cash generation machine can more than offset the secular decline in cigarette volumes.

Adjusted EPS of $1.32 beat the $1.25 estimate by nearly 6% and grew 7.3% year-over-year, while revenues net of excise taxes came in at $4.76 billion, exceeding projections by $180 million. The real standout was margin performance. Adjusted operating income reached $3.03 billion, a 7.2% beat against estimates, with an operating margin of 55.9%, dramatically improved from 39.6% in the year-ago period. (FinancialContent, GuruFocus)

The engine behind the beat is Altria's well-established playbook: raise prices, accept lower volumes, preserve margins. Strategic price increases more than compensated for declining cigarette shipment volumes and higher promotional spending, enabling revenue growth amid weakening unit demand. Marlboro strengthened its share within the premium cigarette category even as its total cigarette market share fell 1.4 percentage points to 39.7%, reflecting ongoing trade-down pressures from discount brands. (GuruFocus)

On the oral tobacco front, the on! nicotine pouch brand performed well in a competitive market, and Helix expanded on! PLUS nationwide, as Altria continues building its next-generation nicotine portfolio to hedge against long-term cigarette decline.
Altria reaffirmed full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $5.56 to $5.72, noting that results are now expected to trend toward the upper end of that range. The company also returned $1.8 billion in dividends to shareholders in Q1 and repurchased 4.5 million shares at an average price of $62.33, with $720 million remaining under its $2 billion buyback program. (Blockonomi)

For income-focused investors, the story remains compelling. With a P/E ratio of 16.55x and a market cap of approximately $114 billion, Altria trades at a moderate valuation relative to its earnings power, supporting its appeal as a high-yield defensive holding in a volatile macro environment. (GuruFocus)

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WS Investor 04-30-26

Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) (NYSE: MO) will release quarter results on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time

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Global Finance News 04-17-26

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) declared a quarterly dividend of $1.06 per share, payable on April 30, 2026 to shareholders of record as of March 25, 2026.

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The Investor 02-28-26

Altria Group (NYSE: MO) presented at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) Conference and reaffirmed its 2026 full-year earnings guidance, highlighting its strategy to expand in smoke-free products and strengthen its position in the U.S. nicotine market.

CEO Billy Gifford and CFO Sal Mancuso outlined Altria’s efforts to build a diversified portfolio focused on smoke-free opportunities while evolving its operational capabilities to support long-term growth.

For 2026, Altria reaffirmed adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $5.56 to $5.72, representing growth of 2.5% to 5.5% from a 2025 base of $5.42. Earnings growth is expected to be weighted toward the second half of the year, driven by a projected increase in cigarette import and export activity.

The guidance assumes planned investments in contract manufacturing, limited impact from illicit product enforcement on combustible and e-vapor volumes, and that NJOY ACE does not return to the market in 2026. It also incorporates continued investment in smoke-free product development, regulatory preparation, and marketplace initiatives, partially offset by cost savings from the company’s Optimize & Accelerate program.

The adjusted EPS outlook excludes certain non-recurring or non-operational items, such as restructuring charges, asset impairments, acquisition-related costs, and specific litigation or tax items.

Source: Business Wire

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Global Finance News 02-18-26

Altria Group reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results and issued earnings guidance for 2026, highlighting steady earnings growth, progress in its smoke-free portfolio, and substantial cash returns to shareholders.

For full-year 2025, Altria delivered adjusted diluted EPS of $5.42, representing growth of 4.4% year over year, despite a decline in reported revenues. Net revenues totaled $23.3 billion for the year, down 3.1% from 2024, reflecting ongoing volume pressures in combustible products. Fourth-quarter adjusted diluted EPS was $1.30, while reported diluted EPS declined sharply due to special items and a higher effective tax rate.

The company returned approximately $8 billion to shareholders in 2025 through a combination of dividends and share repurchases. During the year, Altria repurchased $1 billion of its shares and paid $7.0 billion in dividends, underscoring its continued focus on shareholder returns. As of year-end, $1 billion remained available under its current share repurchase authorization.

Looking ahead, Altria guided for 2026 full-year adjusted diluted EPS in a range of $5.56 to $5.72, implying growth of 2.5% to 5.5% from the 2025 base. Management said the outlook reflects confidence in the company’s core earnings power, cost discipline, and strategic initiatives.

Strategically, Altria continued to advance its smoke-free portfolio in 2025, with FDA marketing authorizations granted for certain on! PLUS nicotine pouch products and additional applications submitted for new flavors and strengths. The company also reported progress on its Optimize & Accelerate cost-savings initiative, which remains on track to deliver at least $600 million in cumulative savings by 2029, supporting reinvestment and long-term growth objectives.

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Global Finance News 01-29-26

Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) will host a live audio webcast on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its 2025 fourth-quarter and full-year business results.

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Global Finance News 01-18-26

Altria Group announced that Chief Executive Officer Billy Gifford will retire effective May 14, 2026, at the conclusion of the company’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Board elected Sal Mancuso, currently Executive Vice President and CFO, to succeed Gifford as CEO, and appointed Heather Newman as Chief Financial Officer, both effective May 14, 2026. Gifford is expected to serve as a consultant to Altria through at least the end of 2026 to support the leadership transition.

Source: Altria Group, Business Wire

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WS Investor 12-14-25

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) announced that Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $1.06 per share, payable on January 9, 2026 to shareholders of record as of December 26, 2025. The ex-dividend date is December 26, 2025.

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European Investor 12-10-25

Altria Expands Share Buyback, Raises Earnings Outlook Amid Solid Q3 Performance

Altria Group (NYSE: MO) reported third-quarter 2025 adjusted diluted EPS of $1.45, up 3.6% year over year, with revenues net of excise taxes down 1.7% to $5.25 billion. The company raised the lower end of its full-year earnings guidance to a range of $5.37–$5.45 and expanded its share repurchase program from $1 billion to $2 billion, now running through 2026.

Altria highlighted progress in its smoke-free portfolio, including new launches of on! PLUS oral nicotine products and regulatory filings for Ploom heated tobacco sticks. It also announced a strategic MOU with South Korea’s KT&G to collaborate on international smoke-free and U.S. non-nicotine products.

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Global Finance News 10-30-25

Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) (NYSE: MO) will host a live audio webcast on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its 2025 third-quarter results.

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Global Finance News 10-16-25

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