The Motley Fool·2026-01-23 01:05Altria - Altria has a significant 6.9% dividend yield, which may indicate underlying risks in the company's fundamentals [1] - The company primarily produces nicotine-based products, with cigarettes accounting for approximately 89% of sales and the Marlboro brand representing 85% of overall volume [2] - Cigarette volumes have been in a long-term decline, with a 10.6% drop in the first nine months of 2025, following declines of 10.2% in 2024 and 9.9% in 2023 [3] - Altria has managed to counteract volume declines through price increases and stock buybacks, but the lack of successful new product development raises concerns about the sustainability of its business [4] Clorox - Clorox has a historically high dividend yield of 4.5% and has faced challenges such as reduced demand for cleaning products post-pandemic, inflation, and operational disruptions due to a hacking event [5] - The company has seen a recovery in gross margins, which improved from a low of 33% in Q2 2023 to 41.7% in the first fiscal quarter of 2026, despite some early fiscal 2026 margin weakness [6] - Clorox holds leading positions in various consumer staples segments, often being the only major branded competitor in certain categories, which provides a competitive advantage [7] - The company has a strong history of innovation, exemplified by the rollout of scented trash bags that integrate cleaning product scents, contributing to its growth [9] - Clorox has increased its dividend annually for 48 consecutive years, nearing Dividend King status, making it a more attractive option for dividend growth investors compared to Altria [10]