Altria Group (MO)
The US tobacco heavyweight behind Marlboro, now leaning into smoke-free nicotine as smoking fades.
Is Altria Group a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: The US tobacco heavyweight behind Marlboro, now leaning into smoke-free nicotine as smoking fades.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
a successful transition toward smoke-free products creates a durable new growth driver alongside continued dividend payments
accelerating regulation or litigation impairs the core cigarette business faster than new products can offset
What does Altria Group do?
Altria makes most of its money from cigarettes in the US - chiefly Marlboro - in a market where smoker numbers have been shrinking for years. Its trick so far: regular price increases to make up for the falling volume. It's also investing in smoke-free options like oral nicotine pouches and vapes, and has held minority stakes in other businesses, all to offset that long-term cigarette decline. The one thing worth watching -> whether price rises and new products can keep outrunning the drop in smokers.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on quality and value, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 6.2% a year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 39% of sales into profit
- Quality screens high (96/100)
- very high net margin
- notably high dividend income
- forward P/E below the trailing figure, implying expectations of somewhat higher near-term earnings
- Growth screens low (20/100)
- tobacco regulation, including flavor or menthol restrictions and nicotine limits
- litigation risk tied to tobacco products
- excise tax increases affecting consumer demand
What do Altria Group's numbers mean?
How much money does Altria Group make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Altria Group pay a dividend?
Yes - Altria Group currently pays a dividend of about 6.2% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Altria Group report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Altria Group is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-29 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-30 | $1.50 | $1.48 | Missed -1% |
| 2026-04-30 | $1.25 | $1.32 | Beat +6% |
| 2026-01-29 | $1.32 | $1.30 | Missed -1% |
| 2025-10-30 | $1.45 | $1.45 | In line |
| 2025-07-30 | $1.38 | $1.44 | Beat +4% |
| 2025-04-29 | $1.19 | $1.23 | Beat +4% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Altria Group came in ahead of what analysts expected 3 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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The Kraft Heinz CompanyWhat are the scenarios for Altria Group?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Altria Group?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- very high net margin
- notably high dividend income
- forward P/E below the trailing figure, implying expectations of somewhat higher near-term earnings
- structurally declining cigarette volumes over the long run
- regulatory and legal overhang typical of the tobacco industry
- revenue growth was not among the strong metrics provided for this company
- tobacco regulation, including flavor or menthol restrictions and nicotine limits
- litigation risk tied to tobacco products
- excise tax increases affecting consumer demand
- long-term secular decline in smoking rates
- reputational and policy-related investment restrictions some funds apply to tobacco
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- cigarette volume declines accelerating beyond the historical trend
- a cut to the dividend
- adverse regulatory rulings on flavored or reduced-risk nicotine products
- smoke-free product adoption stalling well short of expectations
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →