Core Insights - Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) is recognized as one of the best performing dividend stocks in 2025, primarily due to its high and steadily growing dividend yield [1][2]. Company Overview - Altria is one of the largest tobacco companies globally, owning well-known brands such as Marlboro, Black & Mild, Parliament, Copenhagen, and Skoal [2][3]. - The company has a strategic focus on maximizing cash flow from the declining cigarette market, compensating for falling sales volumes by regularly increasing cigarette prices [3]. Dividend Performance - On August 21, Altria announced a 3.9% increase in its quarterly dividend, marking the 60th dividend increase in the past 56 years [4]. - The current quarterly dividend stands at $1.06 per share, with a dividend yield of 6.49% as of September 15 [4].

Key Points Altria has increased its dividend annually for 56 consecutive years. The company has pricing power that allows it to offset declining volume. 10 stocks we like better than Altria Group › The average American may not know the name Altria (NYSE: MO), but there's a good chance that they know some of its brands. The tobacco giant owns brands such as Marlboro, Copenhagen, Black & Mild, Skoal, Parliament, and a handful of others. For decades, the stock has been a mainstay of the market, with p ...

Group 1 - Altria is one of the largest tobacco companies globally, known for brands like Marlboro and Copenhagen, attracting investors primarily for its high-yield and growing dividend [1] - The ex-dividend date for Altria is September 15, meaning investors must own shares by this date to receive the next dividend payout scheduled for October 10 [2] - Altria recently increased its quarterly dividend to $1.06 per share, marking the 56th consecutive year of dividend increases, earning it the title of Dividend King [4] Group 2 - Altria's current dividend yield is approximately 6.16%, which is significantly higher than the S&P 500's average of 1.2% [5] - The stock has seen a 26% increase in 2025, although past performance should not be expected to continue year after year [5] - Altria was not included in a recent list of the top 10 stocks recommended by analysts, suggesting that there may be other investment opportunities with potentially higher returns [6][7]

Company Overview and Strategic Direction - Philip Morris International is a leading global producer of tobacco and nicotine products, operating in approximately 170 markets with well-known brands such as Marlboro, Parliament, IQOS, ZYN, and VEEV [2] - The company is transitioning from traditional combustible cigarettes to smoke-free alternatives, including heated tobacco devices, oral nicotine pouches, and electronic vapor products [3] Quarterly Performance Highlights - In Q2 2025, adjusted earnings per share were $1.91, exceeding the estimate of $1.86 by 2.7%, while GAAP revenue was $10.1 billion, falling short by 2.1% [1] - Smoke-free products accounted for 41% of net revenue, an increase of 2.9 percentage points year-over-year, with gross profit from these products exceeding 42% of total gross profit [4] - Shipments of smoke-free products rose by 11.8%, with net revenue in this segment increasing by 15.2% and gross profit up by 23.3% [4] Product Performance - IQOS generated over $3 billion in net revenue, holding a 76% share of the global heat-not-burn category, with sales volumes in Europe growing by 9.1% and in Japan by 7.8% [5] - ZYN pouches saw a global shipment volume increase of 26.5%, with U.S. shipments rising over 40% to 190 million cans [6] - VEEV e-vapor product volumes more than doubled, achieving top market positions in six European countries [6] Traditional Cigarette Segment - Traditional cigarette volumes declined by 1.5%, but revenue for this segment grew by 2.1% due to strong pricing [7] - Marketing, Administration, and Research Costs increased by 16.0% compared to the previous year [7] Regional Performance - Europe's organic revenue rose by 7.3%, driven by smoke-free growth, while the Americas experienced a 17% increase in organic net revenues, primarily from oral nicotine [8] - The European market faced a 1.7% decline in shipment volume, mainly due to cigarette declines in specific countries [8] Future Outlook - The company raised its full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance to $7.43, reflecting an 11.5% to 13.5% growth from last year's adjusted EPS of $6.57 [10] - Organic net revenue growth is forecasted at 6-8%, with smoke-free product volumes expected to grow by 12-14% and cigarette volumes projected to decline by about 2% [10] - Capital expenditure guidance is set at $1.6 billion, primarily for smoke-free product scale-up, with operating cash flow expected around $11.5 billion [10]

Core Insights - Philip Morris International Inc. is transitioning towards becoming a 100% smoke-free products company, with smoke-free products currently accounting for 42% of its overall revenue as of March 31, 2025 [2]. Group 1: Company Overview - Philip Morris International Inc. is a US-based multinational tobacco company that produces cigarettes and a variety of smoke-free products, including e-vapor, heated tobacco, and oral smokeless products [2]. - The company is focusing on developing and commercializing oral and inhaled consumer health and wellness products, as well as inhaled prescription products for cardiovascular emergencies and pain management [3]. Group 2: Technology and Innovation - The report provides insights into Philip Morris' tech activities, including digital transformation strategies, innovation programs, and technology initiatives [1][4]. - Key technology initiatives include partnerships and product launches, with a focus on technology themes, objectives, and benefits [6]. - The company has established a venture arm, PM Equity Partner, to support its technology initiatives [6]. Group 3: Financial Insights - The report includes details of estimated ICT budgets and contracts, providing insights into Philip Morris' tech operations and strategies [6].

Core Insights - Philip Morris International is transitioning from a traditional cigarette manufacturer to a more diverse brand focusing on smoke-free products, particularly the Zyn oral nicotine pouch [2][8] - The company has shown steady earnings growth, with EPS increasing by 14%, 14%, and 13% year-over-year over the past three quarters [3] - Philip Morris has consistently outperformed Wall Street expectations, beating analyst estimates in 19 of the last 20 quarters [6] Company Overview - Philip Morris International operates in over 180 countries and was spun off from the Altria Group in 2008 [1] - The company is known for its premium cigarette brands, including Marlboro, Parliament, and Virginia Slim [1] Smoke-Free Business Growth - Zyn has captured approximately 75% of the tobacco pouch market, driven by its popularity on social media and appeal to younger consumers [2] - Shipments of Zyn have increased more than fivefold over the past five years, with continued growth anticipated [2] Financial Performance - Philip Morris has demonstrated consistent annual earnings growth over the past three years [3] - The company has a low cost structure and a healthy cash reserve, supporting future growth [7] Stock Performance - The stock has a beta of 0.14, indicating lower volatility compared to the S&P 500, while outperforming over 95% of S&P 500 stocks [4] - Consensus estimates suggest double-digit EPS growth into 2026, indicating positive future performance for shareholders [7]