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Altria (MO) Stock Moves -0.24%: What You Should Know

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In the latest market close, Altria (MO - Free Report) reached $40.95, with a -0.24% movement compared to the previous day. The stock exceeded the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 1.2% for the day. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 0.65%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 1.79%.

Coming into today, shares of the owner of Philip Morris USA, the nation's largest cigarette maker had lost 6.43% in the past month. In that same time, the Consumer Staples sector lost 4.29%, while the S&P 500 lost 0.85%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Altria in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to go public on April 25, 2024. The company is expected to report EPS of $1.15, down 2.54% from the prior-year quarter. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $4.73 billion, down 0.62% from the year-ago period.

In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $5.09 per share and a revenue of $20.58 billion, indicating changes of +2.83% and +0.36%, respectively, from the former year.

It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Altria. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the company's business and profitability.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.

The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 0.43% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. At present, Altria boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Looking at its valuation, Altria is holding a Forward P/E ratio of 8.07. This indicates no noticeable deviation in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 8.07.

One should further note that MO currently holds a PEG ratio of 2.47. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. MO's industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.6 as of yesterday's close.

The Tobacco industry is part of the Consumer Staples sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 59, putting it in the top 24% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.


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