Altria: Smoking's Not Dead

The Value PortfolioInvesting Group LeaderFollow5ShareSavePlay(6min)CommentsSummaryAltria continues to deliver robust shareholder returns, with $8 billion returned in 2025 through dividends and buybacks, supported by resilient EPS growth.MO is expanding its smoke-free portfolio, including on! PLUS and heated tobacco, to offset declining cigarette volumes and capitalize on the growing nicotine market.Guidance for FY 2026 targets adjusted diluted EPS of $5.65, reflecting 4% growth and supporting ongoing dividend increases and repurchases.Manageable 2x debt-to-EBITDA and a history of 60 dividend increases in 56 years reinforce MO’s long-term investment appeal despite disruption risks from e-vapor.The Retirement Forum members get exclusive access to our real-world portfolio. See all our investments here » krblokhin/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Altria (MO) has spent decades since the surgeon general's first 1964 warning against smoking and its health impacts. Despite that, since then, the company has generated some of the highest shareholderThis article was written byThe Value Portfolio37.58K FollowersFollowThe Value Portfolio specializes in building retirement portfolios and utilizes a fact-based research strategy to identify investments. This includes extensive readings of 10Ks, analyst commentary, market reports, and investor presentations. He invests real money in the stocks he recommends. He is the leader of the investing group The Retirement Forum with features including: model portfolios, macro overviews, in-depth company analysis and retirement planning information. Learn more.Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of MO either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.