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

Altria Stock Rises 3% After Manufacturing Deal With Philip Morris International

Altria Group (NYSE: MO) shares are up about 3% today after the company announced a contract manufacturing arrangement with Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) aimed at improving the efficiency of its traditional tobacco operations.

Under the agreement, Altria subsidiary Philip Morris USA will work with non-U.S. affiliates of PMI on contract manufacturing. The companies will remain independent, retaining responsibility for their own commercialization, distribution and regulatory activities.

Deal supports Altria’s efficiency and international strategy

Altria said the arrangement should generate economic benefits, improve manufacturing capabilities and support its 2028 Enterprise Goals. Importantly, the company also said capabilities developed through the partnership could eventually be transferred to its international nicotine initiatives.

That provides a potential strategic benefit as Altria works to diversify beyond its traditional U.S. cigarette business and expand its exposure to smoke-free and international nicotine opportunities.

The announcement is a likely contributor to the positive move in Altria shares, as investors may see the agreement as a relatively low-risk way to improve manufacturing economics and leverage PMI's international infrastructure.

However, the near-term financial impact appears limited. Altria specifically said it does not expect the arrangement to have a material effect on its 2026 financial results.

Overall, the deal is more significant for Altria's longer-term operational efficiency and international expansion strategy than for immediate earnings, while today's roughly 3% stock gain suggests investors are responding positively to that strategic potential.

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European Investor 08-24-26

Altria Stock Falls Despite Solid Q2 Results and Higher Low-End 2026 Guidance

Altria Group (NYSE: MO) shares fell 7.8% in premarket trading on Thursday despite reporting solid second-quarter results and raising the lower end of its full-year earnings guidance, as investors focused on continued volume headwinds and a cautious outlook for the nicotine market.

Second-quarter net revenue increased 0.1% year-over-year to $6.1 billion, while revenue net of excise taxes rose 1.2% to $5.4 billion. Adjusted diluted EPS increased 2.8% to $1.48, and first-half adjusted EPS grew 4.9% to $2.80, reflecting disciplined cost management and resilient profitability despite a challenging operating environment.

Smoke-Free Expansion Continues

Altria continued expanding its smoke-free portfolio during the quarter. Helix broadened the distribution of on! PLUS nicotine pouches to approximately 120,000 stores nationwide and is preparing additional product launches later this year, including new flavors and nicotine strengths.

In its traditional tobacco business, the company highlighted continued momentum from Marlboro Cowboy Cut and improving performance from its Basic discount cigarette brand as it executed a data-driven strategy to protect profitability.

Guidance Narrowed, Shareholder Returns Remain Strong

Management narrowed its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $5.61 to $5.72, raising the lower end of its previous outlook and implying annual earnings growth of 3.5% to 5.5%.

Altria also continued returning capital to shareholders, distributing nearly $3.9 billion through dividends and share repurchases during the first half of 2026. The company repurchased $335 million of stock year-to-date and still has $665 million remaining under its current $2 billion buyback authorization.

What to Watch

Despite the improved earnings outlook, investors appeared concerned about slowing growth in the e-vapor category, macroeconomic pressure on adult nicotine consumers and higher planned capital expenditures. Going forward, markets will monitor the performance of Altria's smoke-free portfolio, progress on manufacturing investments and whether the company can continue offsetting declining cigarette volumes through pricing, cost discipline and new product growth.

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WS Investor 07-30-26

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

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