$MO

Philip Morris (PM) raised its quarterly dividend by 9% to $1.60, while Altria (MO) increased its dividend by 5% to $1.11. PM's revenue grew 10.4% in Q2, with 42% from smoke-free products. PM's adjusted EPS guidance for 2026 is $8.26-$8.41, reflecting 9.5%-11.5% growth. Altria's guidance is $5.61-$5.72, with 3.5%-5.5% growth. Altria offers a higher yield (6.15%) but faces declining cigarette volumes and $2.2B in e-vapor impairments.

The Trump administration plans to speed up approvals for smoke-free nicotine products like vapes and nicotine pouches, easing FDA review requirements. This benefits tobacco companies such as Altria (MO), Philip Morris (PM), and British American Tobacco (BTI), which face regulatory delays. The move aims to reduce illegal products but faces opposition from health advocates concerned about youth access.

Altria's on! brand saw its share of the U.S. oral tobacco category rise 8.6% in Q2 2026, with first-half volume up 5.1% to 96.1M cans. The nicotine pouch category grew to 59.9% of the oral tobacco market, driven by on! PLUS expansion to 120,000 stores. Competitors like Philip Morris and Turning Point Brands also reported growth in this segment. Altria's stock gained 6.5% in six months, trading at a forward P/E of 11.82X.

Altria (MO) paid $6.96B in dividends against $6.95B in net income for FY2025, raising concerns about its dividend safety. Colgate-Palmolive (CL) covers its dividend with earnings and cash flow, but reported a Q4 loss. Altria's 10-year total return was 123%, outperforming Colgate's 55%.

Four high-yield stocks—Verizon (VZ), Altria (MO), Realty Income (O), and Enterprise Products Partners (EPD)—are highlighted for investors seeking income. Verizon raised its free cash flow guidance to $21.94B-$22.14B. Altria increased its dividend to $4.44 annually. Realty Income maintained 98.8% occupancy. EPD reported record operational DCF of $2.3B. All are deemed safe investments with yields near 6%.

Philip Morris (PM) has a consensus 'Moderate Buy' rating with a $206.43 price target, implying 6% upside. Altria Group (MO) gained 22% YTD, with a $69.58 consensus target. British American Tobacco (BTI) has a 22% upside target amid restructuring and smokeless product growth.

Altria (MO) raised its quarterly dividend to $1.11 per share, marking its 60th increase in 56 years, despite a 10% decline in cigarette volumes. The company's smokeable margins hit 65.1% due to price increases, but its smoke-free products saw setbacks. Altria also doubled its share repurchase authorization to $2 billion. Management expects mid-single digit annual dividend growth and adjusted EPS of $5.56 to $5.72.

Altria (MO) raised its quarterly dividend by 4.7% to $1.11 per share, resulting in a 6.5% yield. The company reported $11.5B in net revenue for H1 2026, up 1.6%, with adjusted EPS growth of nearly 5%. However, dividends paid exceeded free cash flow, raising concerns about sustainability.

McQUADE KATHRYN B. purchased 1,500 shares of ALTRIA GROUP, INC. (MO) at $67.62 ($0.10M total) on 2026-09-09.

The article highlights five high-yield dividend stocks for retirement income, including Realty Income (O), W. P. Carey (WPC), Main Street Capital (MAIN), Verizon (VZ), and Altria (MO). Each company offers yields above the 10-year Treasury rate of 4.80%, with strong dividend coverage and consistent payment histories. Key metrics include Realty Income's 5.13% yield and 115th consecutive dividend increase, W. P. Carey's 5.26% yield and raised AFFO guidance, Main Street Capital's 5.45% yield and mon