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

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 5.560-5.72 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 5.620. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Altria Group Stock Up 6.4%

MO traded up $4.37 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $72.57. 24,763,814 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,789,090. The firm has a market capitalization of $121.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.41. Altria Group has a one year low of $54.70 and a one year high of $73.85. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $66.70 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $62.68.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.07. Altria Group had a net margin of 29.84% and a negative return on equity of 287.61%. The company had revenue of $4.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.58 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.23 earnings per share. Altria Group’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Altria Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.72 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Altria Group will post 5.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 25th will be paid a $1.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 25th. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.8%. Altria Group’s payout ratio is 103.16%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on MO. Bank of America lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $72.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on shares of Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Five 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’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $66.50.

Insider Buying and Selling at Altria Group

In related news, SVP Charles N. Whitaker sold 27,908 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.57, for a total value of $1,885,743.56. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 180,869 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,221,318.33. This trade represents a 13.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Altria Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations — Altria reported $1.32 EPS (above consensus) and revenue that topped estimates, which investors are citing as the primary catalyst for the rally. Altria beats quarterly profit estimates (Reuters)
• Positive Sentiment: Pricing power and Marlboro momentum drove results — management said higher cigarette pricing and strong Marlboro performance offset volume declines, supporting margin and cash flow expectations. What’s Going On With Altria Group Stock On Thursday? (Benzinga)
• Positive Sentiment: Income appeal reinforced — Altria was highlighted as a reliable dividend payer/dividend‑king candidate, which supports demand from yield‑focused investors. Want $1,307 in Passive Income? Invest $10,000 Into These 3 Dividend Kings (247WallSt)
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish analyses surfaced — retail/independent analysts published bullish theses highlighting valuation and cash‑flow strengths, which may attract additional buyers. Is Altria Group, Inc. (MO) A Good Stock To Buy Now? (Yahoo)
• Neutral Sentiment: FY‑2026 guidance reaffirmed — Altria set EPS guidance of 5.560–5.72, which management says is intact; the range is roughly in line with Street forecasts but leaves some dispersion for investors to debate. Altria Reports 2026 First-Quarter Results; Reaffirms Full-Year Guidance (Press Release/Slide Deck)
• Neutral Sentiment: Full earnings materials and call transcript available — investors can review the conference call and transcript for details on combustibles trends, JUUL/next‑gen strategy, and cost initiatives. Altria Group, Inc. (MO) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript (Seeking Alpha)
• Negative Sentiment: Volume declines and competitive pressure remain a risk — management acknowledged declining cigarette volumes and tougher competition in nicotine products, which are structural challenges that could weigh on future topline if pricing cannot fully compensate. Altria beats quarterly profit estimates (Reuters)

Institutional Trading of Altria Group

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Brighton Jones LLC grew its holdings in Altria Group by 64.7% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 17,702 shares of the company’s stock worth $926,000 after acquiring an additional 6,954 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 86.3% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 6,361 shares of the company’s stock valued at $373,000 after purchasing an additional 2,946 shares during the period. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. boosted its position in shares of Altria Group by 6.9% in the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 9,630 shares of the company’s stock worth $565,000 after purchasing an additional 618 shares during the last quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL bought a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth $346,000. Finally, AXA S.A. acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter worth $5,752,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the company’s stock.

About Altria Group

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.