Altria Group, Inc. (MO) is a leading Virginia-based tobacco company. Valued at $111.7 billion by market cap, it primarily generates revenue from its dominant cigarette business, led by the Marlboro brand, while also expanding into smokeless tobacco and e-vapor products. The company is known for its strong pricing power and high dividend payouts.
Altria Group is ready to release its first-quarter results before the market opens on Thursday, Apr. 30. Ahead of the event, analysts expect MO to report an adjusted EPS of $1.24, up marginally from $1.23 reported in the year-ago quarter. The company has surpassed Street’s bottom-line estimates in three of the past four quarters, while missing on another quarter.
For fiscal 2026, MO is expected to deliver an adjusted EPS of $5.61, up 3.5% from $5.42 reported in fiscal 2025. Its adjusted EPS is likely to rise 3.2% annually to $5.79 in FY2027.
Over the past 52 weeks, MO shares have climbed 14.9%, underperforming both the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 28.9% return but outpacing the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLP) marginal fall during the same time frame.
On Feb. 26, Altria Group announced its regular quarterly dividend of $1.06 per share, reaffirming its commitment to returning substantial cash to shareholders. The dividend is scheduled to be paid on April 30, 2026, to investors on record as of March 25, 2026. This declaration highlights Altria’s consistent dividend policy and its positioning as a reliable income-generating stock, supported by strong cash flows from its core tobacco business.
The consensus view on Altria is fairly bullish with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Of the 14 analysts covering the MO stock, five recommend “Strong Buy,” seven advise “Hold,” one advocates “Moderate Sell,” and the remaining analyst gives a “Strong Sell” rating. While the stock currently trades above its mean price target of $64.36, its Street-high price target of $74 implies an upswing potential of 12.8% from the current market prices.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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