Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.02 EPS

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) issued its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $1.48 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.50 by ($0.02), FiscalAI reports. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 298.69% and a net margin of 34.34%.The firm had revenue of $5.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.35 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.44 earnings per share. Altria Group’s quarterly revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. Altria Group updated its FY 2026 guidance to 5.610-5.720 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Altria Group’s conference call:

• Adjusted diluted EPS rose 2.8% in Q2 and 4.9% in the first half, prompting Altria to raise the lower end of its 2026 guidance to $5.61–$5.72. The company returned nearly $3.9 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the first half.
• Altria’s smokeable products business delivered 2.4% adjusted operating income growth in Q2, with margins expanding to 64.8%. Marlboro maintained its premium leadership, while targeted Basic promotions helped capture discount-segment share and support PM USA’s overall profitability.
• The nicotine pouch brand on! gained retail share after the national expansion of on! PLUS, reaching 8.6% share, up 0.8 percentage points sequentially. Helix plans a national rollout of 12 mg products in Q3 and additional flavors in Q4, although Q2 on! shipments declined 4.2% because of trade inventory and comparison effects.
• Consumer pressure from inflation and elevated gas prices is driving continued trade-down into discount cigarettes; Marlboro’s overall retail share fell 1.5 percentage points year over year. Oral tobacco adjusted operating income also declined 8% in Q2 because of difficult comparisons and investments behind on! PLUS.
• Management viewed recent FDA enforcement and guidance on illicit e-vapor and nicotine pouch products as constructive, and said it plans to reenter e-vapor with a modified NJOY ACE after its supplemental PMTA progresses. However, illicit flavored disposables remain prevalent and no timing was provided for the product’s return.

Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MO traded up $0.68 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $68.62. 5,361,833 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 9,280,999. The firm has a market capitalization of $114.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.35, a P/E/G ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.45. Altria Group has a 52 week low of $54.70 and a 52 week high of $77.06. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $71.83 and its 200 day simple moving average is $68.30.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were given a $1.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.2%. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 89.45%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Altria Group

In other news, Director Ennis Debra J. Kelly sold 5,790 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.25, for a total transaction of $418,327.50. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 73,809 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,332,700.25. This trade represents a 7.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Ellen R. Strahlman sold 2,000 shares of Altria Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.56, for a total transaction of $145,120.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 25,102 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,821,401.12. The trade was a 7.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Altria Group

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Miller Capital Partners Inc. bought a new position in shares of Altria Group in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Quattro Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Gould Capital LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the third quarter valued at about $39,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in Altria Group during the second quarter worth about $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently weighed in on MO. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $63.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $77.00 price target on shares of Altria Group in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Citigroup boosted their price target on Altria Group from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Wall Street Zen lowered Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, June 21st. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Altria Group presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $70.78.

Key Stories Impacting Altria Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Altria Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management highlighted continued growth investments in smoke-free products, including the expansion of On! Plus and distribution of On! nicotine pouches to approximately 120,000 stores. The company also emphasized shareholder returns and its long-standing dividend record. Altria Q2 Earnings Call Highlights Smoke-Free Growth Plans
• Positive Sentiment: Higher cigarette pricing helped offset declining shipment volumes, while adjusted earnings increased from the prior year. The results reinforce Altria’s ability to generate resilient cash flow and maintain pricing power despite pressure on premium cigarette demand. Altria Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Altria narrowed its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to $5.61–$5.72, a range that remains broadly aligned with analyst expectations. Investors may view the tighter forecast as improved visibility, although it leaves limited room for an upside surprise. Altria Group Q2 Adjusted Earnings, Revenue Rise; Fiscal 2026 Adjusted EPS Outlook Narrowed
• Negative Sentiment: Second-quarter adjusted EPS of $1.48 missed the $1.50 consensus estimate. Cigarette volumes declined, and weaker oral-tobacco performance—including intensified nicotine-pouch competition—offset some of the benefit from pricing. Inflation and consumer trade-down also pressured Marlboro and other premium brands. Altria Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates, Cigarette Volumes Down

Altria Group Company Profile

Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) is a U.S.-based consumer goods company whose principal business is the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company’s operations are focused primarily on the U.S. market and include the production, marketing and distribution of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and cigars. Its flagship cigarette franchise in the United States is sold through its operating subsidiaries and is among the most recognizable cigarette brands in the country.

Altria’s principal operating businesses include Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), U.S.