Company Overview - Imperial Brands, formerly known as Imperial Tobacco, was established in 1901 through the merger of 13 British tobacco companies to counter the dominance of American Tobacco [1] Investment Philosophy - The company focuses on identifying undervalued and promising stocks, emphasizing a balance between risk and reward [1] - It is believed that the best investment ideas are often the simplest, with a contrarian approach being favored [1]

Core Viewpoint - Altria Group's stock has recently declined due to disappointing earnings, but it remains a potential buy for long-term investors focused on dividend growth [2][3]. Stock Performance - As of November 17, 2025, Altria's stock (MO) was trading at approximately $58, down from around $67 in early October, primarily due to a 1.7% revenue drop in Q3 and lower Marlboro shipments [3][4]. - The stock has shown some recovery from a recent low of $56, with current prices consolidating around $58, attracting interest from income investors [4]. Dividend History - Altria has increased its dividend for 56 consecutive years, making it part of the elite Dividend Kings list, which includes companies that have raised dividends for 50 years or more [5]. - The company currently offers a forward dividend yield of 7.3%, appealing to younger income investors with longer investment horizons [6]. Valuation Metrics - Altria's price-to-earnings ratio stands at 12.6, indicating that the stock is relatively cheap compared to its earnings [7]. - Despite a decline in annual revenue from $26 billion in 2020 to $24 billion in 2024, the company's bottom line has increased by 144%, from $4.5 billion to $11 billion during the same period [9]. Dividend Payout Ratio - The company's dividend payout ratio is around 76%, which is considered high and may limit reinvestment opportunities in the business [10]. Analyst Consensus - A consensus among 15 analysts rates Altria's stock as a "hold," with a high target price of $72, suggesting a potential upside of 24% over the next 12 months [11]. - Overall, Altria presents a high yield, low valuation, and a strong track record of delivering shareholder value, making it a potential entry point for long-term dividend growth investors [11].

Core Insights - Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S announced its financial ambitions and revised shareholder return policy ahead of the Capital Markets Day scheduled for November 19, 2025 [2]. Group 1 - The company is preparing to present its financial goals and updated strategies for returning value to shareholders [2]. - The announcement is part of the lead-up to the Capital Markets Day, indicating a focus on investor relations and communication [2][3].

Core Viewpoint - Scandinavian Tobacco Group is set to unveil its five-year strategy, Focus2030, on November 20, 2025, aiming to enhance shareholder value and operational efficiency [1][6]. Financial Ambitions - The financial ambitions include organic EBIT growth before special items, a return on invested capital (ROIC) of at least 11% by the end of 2030, and free cash flow before acquisitions of at least DKK 1.2 billion in 2030 [2][8]. - The company plans to achieve incremental earnings improvements and disciplined capital deployment to support these ambitions [2]. Shareholder Return Policy - The new shareholder return policy will feature a dividend payout ratio of 40-60% against adjusted earnings per share, supplemented by share buy-backs when the projected leverage ratio allows [2]. - Since its listing in 2016, the company has returned over DKK 9 billion to shareholders through dividends and share buy-backs, with a commitment to continue this trend [3]. Cost Efficiency Initiatives - As part of the Focus2030 strategy, the company aims to deliver approximately DKK 200 million in cost improvements, with full effect expected early in the strategy period [5]. Market Positioning - The strategy focuses on creating a sustainable and stable machine-rolled and smoking tobacco business primarily in Europe, a growing handmade cigar business in the US, and an expanding nicotine pouch business [7]. Annual Guidance - The Group will provide annual guidance for reported net sales growth in local currencies, EBIT before special items, free cash flow before acquisitions, and adjusted earnings per share [4].

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 upon request [2]

MIKE SCHNACKENBERG Yeah, we believe that business has great opportunity for positive impact, and even in the faith based investing space, there are many, negative screened options which we believe is a great step forward. Even tied, you know, we take an avoid embracing engage approach. So we want to avoid any company who has products and services that are, again, detracting value from those, the neighbors of that business.CAROLINE WOODS Okay, so can you dig in a bit more about what qualifies a company as cr ...

Core Insights - Altria Group, Inc. is at a critical juncture as nicotine pouches capture 55.7% of the U.S. oral tobacco market, marking an 11.1-point year-over-year increase, which is altering market dynamics [1][8] - The company faces challenges in maintaining its market share in the rapidly growing oral segment, with its on! brand holding an 8.7% share of the total U.S. oral tobacco category and a reduced 15.6% share in the nicotine pouch segment, down 4.1 points due to competitive promotional activities [1][8] Market Dynamics - Competitor promotions have led to a 7% decrease in average retail prices for nicotine pouches nationally, with some major retail chains experiencing price drops exceeding 70% [2] - Altria's on! brand saw a retail price increase of approximately 1.5% during the same period, indicating a divergence from the broader category pricing trends [2] - Despite the promotional environment, Altria reported steady retail takeaway for on!, suggesting consistent consumer demand [2] Product Development - To enhance its competitive position, Altria is launching on! PLUS, a next-generation nicotine pouch aimed at improving comfort, nicotine delivery, and flavor satisfaction [3] - The product has been introduced in Florida, Texas, and North Carolina, with early research indicating higher purchase intent compared to several competing brands [3] Competitive Landscape - Philip Morris International Inc. reported a 16.9% increase in global pouch shipments and a 39% growth in U.S. ZYN offtake, supported by extensive commercial activities and investments in capacity [5] - Turning Point Brands, Inc. experienced a remarkable 627.6% year-over-year growth in modern oral segment net sales, reaching $36.7 million, which now constitutes nearly 30.8% of its total revenues [6] Financial Performance - Altria's shares have declined by 9.8% over the past month, contrasting with a 1.8% decline in the industry [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 10.47X, lower than the industry average of 14.12X [10] - Zacks Consensus Estimates project year-over-year earnings growth of 6.1% for 2025 and 2.5% for 2026 [11]

Core Insights - Universal Corp. has emerged as a top decile stock in the U.S. by value ranking, highlighting its attractiveness as a well-priced investment opportunity [1] Value Ranking - The value score of Universal Corp. is reported at 89.96, placing it among the elite value stocks, which may attract value-driven investors [2] Performance Metrics - Universal Corp. has a growth reading of 85.99, indicating strong growth potential, but it faces challenges with momentum and quality scores at 28.24 and 22.03, respectively [3] Market Trends - Technical trends for Universal Corp. remain negative across all timeframes, reflecting ongoing price weakness in the tobacco sector [4] Strategic Positioning - Universal Corp. serves as a key supplier to major global tobacco companies, including Philip Morris and British American Tobacco, positioning it within a robust multi-billion-dollar value chain [5] Valuation Insights - Forensic valuation models suggest that Universal Corp. is significantly undervalued, with its intrinsic worth estimated to be above the current share price, indicating potential upside [5]

Core Insights - Universal Corp. has emerged as a top decile stock in the U.S. by value ranking, highlighting its attractiveness as a well-priced investment opportunity [1] Value Ranking - The value score of Universal Corp. is 89.96, placing it among the elite value stocks, which may attract value-driven investors [2] Performance Metrics - Universal Corp. has a growth reading of 85.99, but it faces challenges with momentum and quality scores of 28.24 and 22.03, respectively [3] - The stock has experienced a decline of 3.25% year-to-date and 4.37% over the past year, closing at $52.92, with a slight increase of 0.53% in premarket trading [5] Market Position - Universal Corp. serves as a strategic supplier to major global tobacco companies, including Philip Morris and British American Tobacco, positioning it within a multi-billion-dollar value chain [4][5] - Forensic valuation models suggest that Universal Corp. is significantly undervalued, indicating potential upside in its intrinsic worth compared to its current share price [5]

[Music] Four 3 2 one. One of you just died. 4 3 2 one.Another one dead. Don't worry, we're not going to be playing some sort of dystopian game I just invented. This is actually a game bleer than that because this is a rate at which people across the globe are dying due to tobacco use.Every 4 seconds, one person dies. Each life and each death entirely preventable. Each life cut short by what many still consider a personal choice.But here's what most of us still don't realize. Smoking is not a free choice at ...