Altria
MOMarket price data through November 12, 2026.
Performance
Nov 2021 – Nov 2026
Track record
How this pick has done since Benson first called it.
- Benson Return
- +21%
- How much this stock is up since Benson first picked it — measured from the price at the time of that first pick, not from today.
- First pick price
- ~$65
- Roughly what one share cost when Benson first picked this stock. This is the starting line for the Benson Return.
- Tracking since
- April 2026
- The month this stock first became a Benson pick.
- Tracking duration
- 6 months
- How long Benson has been tracking this pick.
About Altria
Altria is the company behind Marlboro, America's best selling cigarette, plus Copenhagen and Skoal smokeless tobacco and on! nicotine pouches. Think of it as a cash machine: fewer people smoke each year, but loyal customers keep paying, and Altria raises prices faster than its volumes fall. Most of that profit flows straight back to shareholders through dividends and stock buybacks.
The case for and against
Both sides of the story, in plain English.
- Cash Comes Back
Through the first nine months of 2026, Altria sent about 6 billion dollars back to shareholders, including 5.3 billion in dividends and 735 million in stock buybacks. In August it raised its dividend 4.7 percent, its 61st increase in 57 years, and the board just added another 1 billion dollars to its buyback plan.
- Pricing Power Machine
Americans keep smoking less, yet Altria keeps earning more. Adjusted profit in the cigarette business rose 3.9 percent last quarter to about 3.1 billion dollars, and adjusted earnings per share climbed 4.8 percent to 1 dollar and 52 cents. That let Altria raise its full year forecast to between 5 dollars 66 cents and 5 dollars 74 cents per share, which would mean up to 6 percent growth.
- Growth Has Stalled
Sales are barely moving. Third quarter revenue rose just 1 percent to 6.1 billion dollars, and that gain came from price hikes while fewer cigarettes shipped. More smokers are trading down to cheaper brands, and Altria is spending more on promotions to keep them, while the company itself warns that its customers are under growing money pressure.
- Vape Bet Benched
Altria's future depends on moving smokers to vapes and nicotine pouches, and that shift is slow. A trade ruling blocked U.S. sales of its NJOY ACE vape, which won't return in 2026, and the company already took an 873 million dollar hit on its vape business last year. Legal costs are piling up too, with 120 million dollars in litigation charges so far this year.
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How to read this page
This automated research summary uses Financial Modeling Prep market data through 2026-11-12. Model signals, scores, and risk labels can change and may be incomplete or wrong.
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