During times of turbulence and uncertainty in the markets, many investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. These are often companies that have high free cash flows and reward shareholders with a high dividend payout.Benzinga readers can review the latest analyst takes on their favorite stocks by visiting Analyst Stock Ratings page. Traders can sort through Benzinga's extensive database of analyst ratings, including by analyst accuracy.Below are the ratings of the most accurate analysts for three high-yield ...

Key Takeaways Altria's shares fell 8.2% in 3 months, lagging industry, sector and S&P 500 gains over the same period.MO faces pressure from declining cigarette volumes, down 8.2% in Q3 2025.Altria delivered resilient earnings, with Q3 EPS up 3.6% and smokeable margins holding at 64.4%.Altria Group, Inc. ((MO), a prominent name in the tobacco and vaping space, has faced notable pressure in recent months, with its shares declining 8.2% over the past three months. This drop stands in stark contrast to the broa ...

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Core Insights - Altria Group, Inc. is increasingly focusing on its discount cigarette offerings due to rising costs making adult smokers more price-sensitive, with discount retail share in the U.S. cigarette industry rising to 32.2% in Q3 2025, a 2.4 share point increase year over year [1][8] - Altria's flagship premium brand, Marlboro, experienced an 11.7% volume decline and a 1.2-point drop in total cigarette retail share, indicating pressure on premium-priced products [1][8] Group 1: Altria's Performance and Strategy - Altria's discount cigarette shipment volume surged 74.5% year over year in Q3 2025, reaching over 1.2 billion sticks, which helped offset some overall volume decline and reflects a focus on the value segment [2][8] - The Basic brand is playing a crucial role in retaining consumers who are shifting to lower-priced options, helping stabilize volumes during economic pressure rather than driving growth [4] - Despite a 2.8% decline in smokeable products net revenues, a favorable volume mix and pricing actions contributed to a 0.7% increase in adjusted operating companies income for the segment [3][8] Group 2: Comparison with Peers - Philip Morris International Inc. has taken a different approach, with limited emphasis on discount cigarettes, experiencing a 3.2% decline in combustible cigarette volumes but offsetting this with strong pricing and a favorable mix [5] - Turning Point Brands, Inc. is focusing on its Modern Oral segment, with sales surging 627.6% year over year, now accounting for 30.8% of total business, aiming for double-digit market share [6] Group 3: Valuation and Earnings Estimates - Altria's shares have lost 0.2% in the past month, while the industry has grown by 3.1% [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 10.33X, below the industry average of 14.37X [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Altria's earnings implies year-over-year growth of 6.3% for 2025 and 2.3% for 2026 [11]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the identification of high-quality, shareholder-oriented companies that are undervalued due to short-term market factors or irrational investor behavior [1] Group 1: Investment Focus - The current focus is on legacy businesses in sectors such as remittances, ATMs, and tobacco, which are perceived to be in secular decline [1] - There is a particular interest in cash-generative, high-yield stocks that often exhibit under-appreciated revenue and earnings growth [1] Group 2: Geographic Scope - While the primary emphasis is on U.S. stocks, the analysis also includes attractive investment opportunities in the UK and globally [1]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the identification of high-quality, shareholder-oriented companies that are undervalued by the market due to short-term factors or irrational investor behavior [1] Group 1: Investment Focus - The current focus is on legacy businesses in sectors such as remittances, ATMs, and tobacco, which are perceived to be in secular decline [1] - There is a particular interest in cash-generative, high-yield stocks that often exhibit under-appreciated revenue and earnings growth [1] Group 2: Geographic Scope - While the primary emphasis is on U.S. stocks, the analysis also includes attractive investment opportunities in the UK and globally [1]

分组1: Federal Reserve and Economic Policy - Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran advocates for over 100 basis points of rate cuts in 2026 to stimulate economic growth, arguing that current monetary policy is restrictive [1][2] - Miran's views contrast with most Fed officials who are cautious about future rate cuts, reflecting concerns about the labor market and economic expansion [2] - If the economy declines significantly in early 2026, it is likely that the Federal Reserve would respond with rapid rate cuts, similar to past economic crises [3] 分组2: High-Yield Dividend Stocks - A screening of high-yield dividend stocks identified five companies yielding at least 5% and rated as Buy by top Wall Street firms, suitable for growth and income investors [4] - High-yield dividend stocks provide a reliable source of passive income, appealing to investors seeking to diversify income streams [5] 分组3: Altria Group Inc. - Altria Group Inc. offers a 7.06% dividend yield and is a major producer of tobacco products, primarily selling cigarettes under the Marlboro brand [6] - The company sold 35 million shares of Anheuser-Busch, representing 18% of its holdings, and announced a $2.4 billion stock repurchase plan [7] 分组4: Energy Transfer L.P. - Energy Transfer L.P. is a leading midstream energy company with a 7.97% distribution yield, owning over 114,000 miles of pipelines across the U.S. [10][11] - The company has a strong market position following its acquisition of Enable Partners and has an Overweight rating from J.P. Morgan with a $21 price target [12] 分组5: Pfizer Inc. - Pfizer Inc. pays a 6.80% dividend and has seen a decline in stock performance post-COVID-19 vaccine success, with anticipated revenues of around $62 billion for 2025 [14][15] - The company has a history of increasing dividends annually for the past 14 years, indicating financial stability [14] 分组6: United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) - UPS plans to cut its shipping volume for Amazon by over 50% by the second half of 2026, impacting its dividend yield, which is currently at 6.57% [19] - The company aims to focus on more profitable business segments amid expectations of slower economic growth [19] 分组7: Verizon Communications Inc. - Verizon offers a 6.72% dividend and trades at 9.13 times its estimated 2026 earnings, with a stable revenue stream from telecom services [22][23] - The company has a strong interest coverage ratio, providing a cushion for dividend payments, and operates in both consumer and business segments [23][27]

Core Insights - Altria is a leading consumer staples company known for its Marlboro cigarette brand, which holds a 40% overall market share and nearly 60% of the premium market share in the U.S. [6] - The company offers a high dividend yield of 7.4%, appealing to dividend investors [10] - Despite its strong brand presence, Altria's core business is in decline, with significant reductions in cigarette sales volume over recent years [11] Business Performance - Smokable tobacco products account for nearly 90% of Altria's revenues, with cigarettes making up just over 97% of its smokable tobacco product volumes [5] - Altria's cigarette sales volume decreased by 8.2% in Q3 2025 compared to Q3 2024, and a total decline of 10.6% was observed in the first nine months of 2025 [8] - This decline continues a long-term trend, with cigarette volumes down 10.2% in 2024, 9.9% in 2023, and 9.7% in 2022 [8] Investment Considerations - Altria's reliance on a single product, primarily Marlboro, which accounts for approximately 88% of its cigarette sales, raises concerns about its long-term sustainability [6] - The company generates substantial cash flow, allowing it to maintain and even increase its dividend despite the declining business fundamentals [11] - Investors should be cautious, as the ongoing decline in core business may not align with the attractive dividend yield [11]

Group 1 - The article discusses the expertise of Sensor Unlimited, who has a PhD in financial economics and has been covering the mortgage market, commercial market, and banking industry for the past decade [2] - Sensor Unlimited focuses on asset allocation and ETFs related to the overall market, bonds, banking and financial sectors, and housing markets [2] - The investing group Envision Early Retirement, led by Sensor Unlimited, offers solutions for generating high income and growth with isolated risks through dynamic asset allocation [2] Group 2 - Envision Early Retirement features two model portfolios: one for short-term survival/withdrawal and another for aggressive long-term growth [2] - The group provides direct access via chat for discussing ideas, monthly updates on holdings, tax discussions, and ticker critiques by request [2]

Group 1 - The article discusses the expertise of Sensor Unlimited, who has a PhD in financial economics and has been covering the mortgage market, commercial market, and banking industry for a decade [2] - Sensor Unlimited focuses on asset allocation and ETFs related to the overall market, bonds, banking and financial sectors, and housing markets [2] - The investing group Envision Early Retirement, led by Sensor Unlimited, offers solutions for generating high income and growth with isolated risks through dynamic asset allocation [2] Group 2 - Envision Early Retirement features two model portfolios: one for short-term survival/withdrawal and another for aggressive long-term growth [2] - The group provides direct access via chat for discussing ideas, monthly updates on holdings, tax discussions, and ticker critiques by request [2]