Altria (MO) Lags Q4 Earnings Estimates

Core Insights - Altria reported quarterly earnings of $1.3 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.32 per share, but showing an increase from $1.29 per share a year ago [1][2] - The company posted revenues of $5.08 billion for the quarter, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.54%, although this represents a slight decline from $5.11 billion in the previous year [3] Earnings Performance - The earnings surprise for the quarter was -1.13%, contrasting with a positive surprise of +0.69% in the previous quarter [2] - Over the last four quarters, Altria has exceeded consensus EPS estimates three times [2] Stock Performance - Altria shares have increased approximately 9.5% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.9% [4] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market in the near future [7] Future Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.24 on revenues of $4.51 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $5.58 on revenues of $20 billion [8] - The outlook for the tobacco industry is currently weak, with the industry ranking in the bottom 32% of over 250 Zacks industries, which may impact Altria's stock performance [9]