Altria (MO) Surpasses Market Returns: Some Facts Worth Knowing

Company Performance - Altria (MO) closed at $50.23, reflecting a +1.37% change from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.71% [1] - Over the past month, Altria's shares have decreased by 8.38%, underperforming the Consumer Staples sector's loss of 3.31% and the S&P 500's gain of 6.41% [1] - The upcoming earnings announcement is scheduled for October 31, 2024, with an expected EPS of$ 1.36, indicating a 6.25% increase from the same quarter last year [1] Financial Estimates - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are projected at $5.11 per share and revenue at$ 20.38 billion, representing changes of +3.23% and -0.59% from the prior year, respectively [2] - Recent shifts in analyst projections for Altria are important, as positive revisions indicate analyst optimism regarding the company's business and profitability [2] Valuation Metrics - Altria has a Forward P/E ratio of 9.71, which is in line with the industry average [3] - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.86, compared to the Tobacco industry's average PEG ratio of 2.6 [3] Industry Context - The Tobacco industry is part of the Consumer Staples sector, holding a Zacks Industry Rank of 60, placing it in the top 24% of over 250 industries [4] - Strong individual industry groups, as measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, tend to outperform weaker groups by a factor of 2 to 1 [4]