Altria Group (NYSE:MO) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Friday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 5.560-5.720 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 5.590. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Altria Group Stock Up 1.5%

Shares of NYSE MO traded up $0.93 on Friday, reaching $60.69. 4,999,592 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 11,010,941. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $59.01 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $61.72. Altria Group has a 12 month low of $51.30 and a 12 month high of $68.60. The company has a market cap of $101.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.49 and a beta of 0.47.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.32 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 319.43% and a net margin of 37.89%.The company had revenue of $5.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.02 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.30 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Altria Group will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 26th were paid a dividend of $1.06 per share. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.0%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 26th. Altria Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 80.92%.

Altria Group announced that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Thursday, October 30th that permits the company to buyback $2.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to purchase up to 1.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on MO shares. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $63.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Argus upgraded Altria Group to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $62.56.

Key Headlines Impacting Altria Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company kept FY‑2026 EPS guidance roughly in line with Street expectations and reiterated that price increases should support profit above estimates; management pointed to pricing power as a driver of near‑term profitability. Reuters: Marlboro-maker Altria forecasts 2026 profit above estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend and capital return profile remains a major support: management raised the dividend again and bought back stock in 2025, underpinning the yield story that attracts income investors. MarketBeat: Is Altria Becoming More Than an Income Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Stifel trimmed its price target from $72 to $68 but maintained a “buy” rating, signaling that some analysts still see upside from current levels despite the Q4 miss. The Fly: Stifel lowers Altria price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Altria posted its Q4 slide deck and earnings presentation — useful for investors wanting management detail on segment performance, margin drivers and the capital allocation plan. Seeking Alpha: Altria Q4 Results – Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: Altria missed adjusted EPS in Q4 ($1.30 vs. $1.32 consensus) and reported flat YoY EPS while revenue ex‑taxes beat slightly; the EPS miss and investor focus on earnings growth pressured sentiment. Forbes: Is Altria Stock A Value Play Or A Yield Trap At $60?
• Negative Sentiment: Cigarette shipment volumes are down (reports cite ~10% declines in shipments and weakness in the smoke‑free segment), which underscores secular headwinds that pricing and efficiency must offset. Seeking Alpha: Altria 2025 Earnings: Moving Beyond Smoking?
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage of the quarter highlights leverage and margin dynamics (filings noted consolidated statements and leverage) — a reminder that balance‑sheet metrics and payout coverage will be watched closely. TipRanks: Altria files consolidated financial statements

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Marshall Wace LLP raised its position in Altria Group by 286.7% in the third quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 4,479,699 shares of the company’s stock worth $295,929,000 after acquiring an additional 3,321,262 shares during the period. Freestone Grove Partners LP purchased a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 3rd quarter worth $89,460,000. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Altria Group by 13.5% in the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 5,272,845 shares of the company’s stock worth $346,373,000 after purchasing an additional 629,031 shares during the period. Man Group plc raised its holdings in Altria Group by 938.5% in the 3rd quarter. Man Group plc now owns 613,353 shares of the company’s stock worth $40,518,000 after purchasing an additional 554,290 shares during the period. Finally, Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Altria Group during the second quarter valued at $29,424,000. 57.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.