Altria Group, Inc. MO is likely to register growth in both top and bottom lines when it reports first-quarter 2026 earnings on April 30.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter revenues stands at $4.56 billion, indicating a 0.9% increase from the same period last year. Meanwhile, the consensus mark for earnings has moved down a penny in the past 30 days to $1.24 per share, indicating 0.8% growth from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure. Altria has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 2.5%.
Altria Group, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Altria Group, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Altria Group, Inc. Quote
Things to Consider About Altria’s Upcoming Results
Altria’s first-quarter performance is likely to have been shaped by disciplined pricing and effective cost control. While domestic cigarette shipment volumes have been under pressure as macroeconomic factors continued to impact consumer purchasing behavior, favorable pricing and product mix are likely to have helped offset volume declines, supporting earnings stability during the period.
The company’s oral tobacco business is expected to have delivered steady performance, supported by continued growth in modern oral nicotine products such as on!. Improved retail presence, product innovation and consumer adoption are likely to have contributed to segmental momentum. However, investments behind smoke-free product development and commercialization efforts are likely to have weighed modestly on overall profitability. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is expected to increase 0.5% in the Oral Tobacco Products revenues.
The Smokeable Products segment is expected to have remained under pressure, following a year-over-year decline in the fourth quarter due to lower shipment volumes. Similar volume softness is likely to have persisted in the to-be-reported quarter, reflecting a cautious consumer environment and downtrading trends. However, strong net price realization is expected to have supported net revenues. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is anticipated to decrease 2.4% in the Smokeable Products revenues.
Earnings Whispers for MO Stock
Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for MO this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is exactly the case here.
Altria has an Earnings ESP of +0.52% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
More Stocks With the Favorable Combination
Here are a few other companies worth considering, as our model shows that these, too, have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.
BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. BJ currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.74% and a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BJ's Wholesale Club’s upcoming quarter’s EPS is pegged at $1.05, which implies 7.9% decline year over year. The consensus estimate for the quarterly revenues is pinned at $5.39 billion, which indicates 4.6% growth from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter. BJ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.4%, on average.
The J. M. Smucker Company SJM currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.79% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The consensus mark for the upcoming quarter’s revenues is pegged at $2.28 billion, which indicates an increase of 6.4% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for J. M. Smucker’s quarterly earnings per share of $2.66 implies growth of 15.2% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. SJM delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1%, on average.
McCormick & Company, Incorporated MKC currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.43% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The consensus estimate for the quarterly revenues is pegged at $1.9 million, which indicates a surge of 14.5% from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for McCormick’s upcoming quarter’s EPS is pegged at 71 cents, which implies a 2.9% increase year over year. MKC delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 4.5%, on average.
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Altria Group, Inc. (MO): Free Stock Analysis Report
BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (BJ): Free Stock Analysis Report
The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM): Free Stock Analysis Report
McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).