Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Altria Group, Inc. (MO) is a major consumer goods company that focuses on tobacco products. Its portfolio includes Marlboro, which ranks among the world’s best-selling cigarette brands. The company’s offerings also extend to smokeless tobacco, wines, and alternative nicotine ventures.
Altria’s market capitalization is about $97.7 billion, which places it firmly in the “large-cap” bracket – companies that are valued at $10 billion or more. The company’s size and reach have allowed the company to distribute its products to wholesalers and major retail organizations, including prominent chain stores.
However, MO stock has absorbed notable turbulence. Its shares have fallen more than 16.4% from the 52-week high of $68.80 reached on Aug. 22. Moreover, the stock slipped 15.3% over the past three months, while the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) gained 3.7% during the same period, signaling a weakening narrative around the company’s near-term momentum.
Performance over longer periods offered limited relief as MO stock gained only 1.1% over the past 52 weeks. On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, the stock rose 9.6%. Meanwhile, the broader index climbed 11% over the past year and 14% YTD, which paints a stark performance gap.
MO’s momentum has clearly turned bearish. After spending much of the year comfortably above its 200-day moving average, the stock slipped below that long-term support in late October. The weakness deepened as it also fell under the 50-day moving average since mid-October.
The company’s fiscal 2025 Q3 earnings, released on Oct. 30, made the picture clearer. MO stock fell 7.8% on the day of the announcement. Adjusted EPS increased 3.6% from the year-ago value to $1.45, which slightly exceeded the $1.44 analysts had expected. However, revenue for the quarter came in at $6.07 billion, surpassing what Wall Street had forecasted but declined 3% year over year (YoY) due to lower net revenues in smokeable products. This resulted in the share price drop and also reinforced concerns about long-term volume decline in the core franchise.
The comparison with its rival, British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BTI), provides added context. BTI stock has gained 46.6% over the past 52 weeks and 50.8% in 2025, highlighting how competitive positioning can shape investor sentiment.
Given the weak price action and volatile sales, analysts maintain cautious expectations for MO stock. Out of 14 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Hold,” and the mean price target of $61.64 signals a premium of 7.5% to current levels.
On the date of publication, Sristi Jayaswal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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