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  • Altria Reports Q3 Results, Narrows 2025 Guidance

    Altria Reports Q3 Results, Narrows 2025 Guidance

    Altria Group, Inc. reported third-quarter 2025 net revenues of $6.1 billion, down 3% year-on-year, while adjusted diluted EPS rose 3.6% to $1.45. The company reaffirmed its resilience in core tobacco and smoke-free products and announced an expansion of its share repurchase program from $1 billion to $2 billion, set to run through 2026.

    CEO Billy Gifford highlighted “exciting progress” across Altria’s portfolio, including the U.S. launch of on! PLUS nicotine pouches, regulatory submissions for Ploom heated tobacco, and a strategic collaboration with KT&G to pursue international and non-nicotine growth opportunities. The company also marked its 60th dividend increase in 56 years, underscoring its continued focus on shareholder returns.

    Altria narrowed its full-year 2025 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $5.37–$5.45, representing 3.5%–5.0% growth from 2024. Management said it expects performance to moderate in Q4 as it laps prior share reductions and continues to invest in its smoke-free strategy amid a dynamic regulatory environment.

  • Tobacco Stocks Stumble as ‘PMI Results Weigh on Sector’

    Tobacco Stocks Stumble as ‘PMI Results Weigh on Sector’

    Tobacco and nicotine stocks slipped yesterday (October 24) as shares of Philip Morris International fell following the company’s third-quarter results. While the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings and revenue, investors reacted negatively to a modest increase in full-year profit guidance and concerns over slowing growth in its smoke-free division. PMI shares dipped around 3–4% after the announcement, according to MSN’s Seeking Alpha.

    The sentiment rippled across the sector, pulling down other major players, according to Seeking Alpha. British American Tobacco traded about 2% lower, Turning Point Brands dropped nearly 4%, and Greenlane Holdings fell more than 5%. Altria Group also edged down around 1.5% ahead of its own quarterly earnings report, expected next week.

    Analysts at Morgan Stanley and BofA Securities maintained their “buy” ratings on Philip Morris, emphasizing its strong growth potential in reduced-risk products such as Zyn nicotine pouches. However, market watchers noted that investor expectations remain high even as the industry faces regulatory scrutiny and shifting consumer trends. The broader tobacco sector continues to balance solid cash flow and dividend stability against slower growth and rising public health pressures.

  • Altria to Webcast 2025 Q3 and Nine-Month Results

    Altria to Webcast 2025 Q3 and Nine-Month Results

    Altria Group, Inc. will host a live audio webcast October 30, at 9 a.m. ET, to discuss its third-quarter and nine-month business results. A press release with the results will be issued at approximately two hours in advance.

    CEO Billy Gifford and CFO Sal Mancuso will present the results and answer questions from investors and the media. The webcast is listen-only, and pre-registration is required. Directions are available at www.altria.com/webcasts. An archived version will be accessible on Altria’s website after the event.

  • Altria Drops Suit as Elf Bar Exits California Market

    Altria Drops Suit as Elf Bar Exits California Market

    Elf Bar’s parent company, iMiracle, agreed to cease sales of flavored disposable vapes in California, effectively ending a protracted legal battle with Altria’s e-cigarette unit NJOY. Under a joint motion, iMiracle will accept a permanent injunction preventing it from selling or shipping flavored vape products into California and will also refrain from shipping to other jurisdictions if the products are likely destined for California.

    The lawsuit, initially filed in late 2023, alleged that iMiracle’s flavored products competed unfairly with NJOY’s FDA-authorized devices and violated California’s flavored tobacco ban and federal regulations. Most defendants in the original suit were dropped; iMiracle remained the principal target.

    Though iMiracle denies liability, it agreed that violation of the injunction would be treated as contempt of court. The settlement is conditioned on California maintaining its current flavor ban; if the law is repealed or amended substantially, the injunction may no longer apply.

  • George Munoz Retires from Altria Board

    George Munoz Retires from Altria Board

    George Muñoz, a director of Altria since 2004, notified Altria of his decision to retire from service on the company’s Board of Directors following the completion of his current term. Consequently, Muñoz will not stand for re-election to the board at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which Altria anticipates holding on May 14, 2026.

    “George has made extensive and significant contributions to Altria over more than 20 years,” said Kathryn McQuade, Altria’s independent Chair of the Board. “We thank George for his long-standing and valuable service and wish him the very best upon his retirement.”

    Muñoz is Chair of the Compensation and Talent Development Committee and is a member of the Audit, Executive and Finance Committees. He previously served as the Chair of the Audit Committee.

    Muñoz is a principal of Muñoz Investment Banking Group and a partner at the law firm of Tobin & Muñoz. Muñoz is also a director of Laureate Education.

  • Altria and KT&G Partner in Pursuit of Modern Nicotine Growth

    Altria and KT&G Partner in Pursuit of Modern Nicotine Growth

    Altria Group, Inc. and KT&G Corporation announced they have signed a non-binding global collaboration memorandum of understanding (MOU) “to pursue joint growth opportunities in modern oral nicotine, non-nicotine wellness products, and operational efficiency in traditional tobacco.” The partnership builds on Altria’s long-term goal of expanding into adjacent international categories beyond cigarettes, first outlined in 2023.

    The companies said their complementary strengths would accelerate innovation and market expansion. As an initial step, an Altria subsidiary will acquire an ownership interest in Sweden-based Another Snus Factory (ASF), concurrent with KT&G’s purchase of the company, giving both parties a foothold in the LOOP nicotine pouch brand. They also plan to evaluate ways to expand Altria’s on! and on! PLUS oral nicotine products to select markets.

    Beyond nicotine, the collaboration extends into the U.S. wellness and energy space through Altria and KT&G’s Korea Ginseng Corporation, which will jointly explore new product opportunities. The two firms will also work to improve operational efficiency in traditional tobacco businesses, with the aim of strengthening competitiveness and creating transferable capabilities for future international smoke-free ventures.

  • FDA Launches Pilot to Fast-Track Nicotine Pouch Reviews

    FDA Launches Pilot to Fast-Track Nicotine Pouch Reviews

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is set to fast-track reviews of nicotine pouches from Philip Morris International, Altria, Reynolds American, and Turning Point Brands in a pilot program launching Monday, according to Reuters. According to transcripts of an agency meeting last Friday, the agency aims to complete assessments by December, providing a quicker path to market for products like Zyn, on!, Velo, Fre, and Alp. The initiative comes amid pressure from the Trump administration to accelerate approvals and streamline the review process for the fastest-growing category of U.S. tobacco alternatives.

    The pilot program will reportedly feature reduced and expedited reviews, more frequent communication between FDA staff and companies, and a focus on essential scientific and safety data, including product characterization, manufacturing consistency, and abuse-liability information. For products already on the market without full authorization, the process could remove uncertainty over legality and potential enforcement actions. Tobacco firms have long lobbied for a faster FDA authorization route, noting that lengthy reviews have allowed competitors to capture market share in the meantime.

    “Adult nicotine and tobacco consumers are increasingly seeking nicotine pouches as a smoke-free alternative, and the industry is rapidly growing in response,” said Laura Leigh Oyler, vice president of U.S. Regulatory Affairs at Haypp Group, who will be speaking at GTNF 2025 in Brussels on the U.S. regulatory landscape. “These consumers deserve a marketplace of FDA-reviewed product choices to support their journey away from more harmful products. 

    “It makes sense that our government should also work to meet the demands of citizens, supporting a regulatory regime that quickly reviews well-designed and well-tested products from responsible and compliant manufacturers. This is a positive step not just for the regulator and the regulated industry, but for the millions of American adults looking for products they can trust.”

  • NJOY Sues FDA Over Delays in Flavored E-Cigarette Approval

    NJOY Sues FDA Over Delays in Flavored E-Cigarette Approval

    NJOY LLC, a subsidiary of Altria Group, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Louisiana last week (August 21), accusing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of unlawfully delaying its review of applications to market flavored e-cigarettes. According to NJOY, the FDA has failed to adhere to statutory deadlines stipulated in the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The company claims such delays unfairly hinder its efforts to provide adult smokers with reduced-risk alternatives to combustible tobacco.

    According to the filing, in December 2020, the FDA denied NJOY’s application with only one deficiency listed: that the flavored products’ applications did not show they “would increase the likelihood of complete switching among adult smokers, compared to the Rich Tobacco and Menthol varieties” (products that were granted marketing authorization). In March 2021, NJOY responded, providing data showing the flavored products’ switch rates were 29-68% higher than the approved products after six months of use. The FDA has yet to respond despite repeated requests for updates, leading to last week’s lawsuit.

    Additionally, the filing states that documents received during a Freedom of Information Act request revealed that the Office of Science’s epidemiology staff concluded that NJOY adequately addressed the flavor-specific deficiency and that the products were associated with higher rates of cessation, and also that unrequested sales restrictions and reporting requirements offered by NJOY would, according to the Office of Health Communication and Education, mitigate concerns about potential youth initiation.

    The lawsuit underscores growing tensions between major industry firms and the FDA, which is facing a massive backlog of Premarket Tobacco Product Applications, particularly as sales of unauthorized flavored vaping products continue to surge. NJOY argues the delays not only burden its business, but also limit smokers’ access to potentially less harmful products.

  • Altria Increases Quarterly Dividend to $1.06 Per Share

    Altria Increases Quarterly Dividend to $1.06 Per Share

    Altria Group, Inc. today (August 21) announced that its board of directors voted to increase the company’s regular quarterly dividend by 3.9% to $1.06 per share versus the previous rate of $1.02 per share. This increase marks the 60th dividend increase in the past 56 years.

    The quarterly dividend is payable October 10 to shareholders of record as of September 15. The ex-dividend date is September 15. The new annualized dividend rate is $4.24 per share, representing a dividend yield of 6.3% based on Altria’s closing stock price of $67.58 on August 20.

  • PDI Technologies Prepares Retailers for Altria’s 2026 Digital Trade Program

    PDI Technologies Prepares Retailers for Altria’s 2026 Digital Trade Program

    Ahead of the 2026 launch of Altria Group Distribution Company’s (AGDC) Digital Trade Program (DTP), PDI Technologies announced its continued support for retailers navigating the evolving tobacco loyalty landscape.

    PDI, already P+ certified and actively assisting stores in meeting current DTP requirements, is developing advanced integration tools and services to ensure both chain and independent retailers are ready for the upcoming changes, expected to take effect on January 1, 2026.

    “Our goal is to help retailers fully leverage AGDC’s DTP at all levels and deliver value to engaged adult tobacco consumers 21 and older,” said Mike Melson, senior vice president and general manager of Payments and Loyalty at PDI.

    PDI will offer guidance, resources, and support through its platform and at Connections Live 2025 in Denver this August, where AGDC will provide in-person training on the new program.