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

Posted by Brian Himes on Jul 30th, 2026

Altria Group (NYSE:MO – Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The company reported $1.48 earnings per share (EPS) 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 business had revenue of $5.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.35 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.44 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. 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 Trading Down 9.2%

MO stock traded down $6.91 on Thursday, hitting $68.01. 21,325,134 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,574,487. Altria Group has a 1-year low of $54.70 and a 1-year high of $77.06. The stock has a market cap of $113.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.23, a P/E/G ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.45. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $71.83 and a 200-day moving average of $68.30.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 10th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th were issued a $1.06 dividend. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 15th. Altria Group’s payout ratio is presently 88.70%.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Altria Group

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in MO. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in shares of Altria Group by 64.7% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 17,702 shares of the company’s stock worth $926,000 after buying an additional 6,954 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 86.3% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 6,361 shares of the company’s stock valued at $373,000 after buying an additional 2,946 shares during the period. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its position in Altria Group by 6.9% during the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 9,630 shares of the company’s stock valued at $565,000 after buying an additional 618 shares during the period. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth about $346,000. Finally, AXA S.A. purchased a new stake in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth about $5,752,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on MO. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. BTIG Research initiated coverage on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Altria Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $70.78.

View Our Latest Research Report on Altria Group

Altria Group News Summary

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

Positive Sentiment: Adjusted EPS increased 4.9% year over year to $1.48, supported by pricing in smokeable products. Revenue rose 1.2% to approximately $5.36 billion, narrowly exceeding analysts’ expectations. Altria Group Q2 Adjusted Earnings, Revenue Rise; Fiscal 2026 Adjusted EPS Outlook Narrowed
Positive Sentiment: The company expanded its On! nicotine-pouch distribution to 120,000 stores, highlighting continued investment in smoke-free products and long-term category growth. Altria Group Q2 2026 Earnings Call Highlights
Neutral Sentiment: Altria maintained fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance at $5.61-$5.72, but the narrower range provides limited upside relative to the $5.68 analyst consensus and underscores a cautious outlook.
Negative Sentiment: Quarterly EPS of $1.48 missed the $1.50 consensus estimate. The shortfall contributed to investor concerns that operating momentum is weakening. Altria Group Earnings Report
Negative Sentiment: Cigarette shipment volumes declined as inflation and weaker consumer spending pushed some smokers toward lower-priced products, pressuring premium brands such as Marlboro.
Negative Sentiment: Softer oral-tobacco performance and intensified competition in nicotine pouches offset some cigarette-related gains. Management also cited consumer trade-downs, raising concerns about growth and margins in Altria’s smoke-free transition. Altria Profit Falls on Softer Oral-Tobacco Performance

About Altria Group

(Get Free Report)

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.