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Altria Group, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted EPS rose 7.3%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.32, up 7.3% from $1.23, driven by higher adjusted OCI and fewer shares outstanding. Source
  • Smokeable adjusted OCI up 6.3%: Adjusted smokeable OCI rose 6.3% on higher pricing and 2026 refunds of taxes and duties on imported cigarettes, partly offset by higher promotional investments. Source
  • Domestic cigarette volume fell 2.4%: Reported domestic cigarette shipments were 13,867 million sticks, down 2.4%. Adjusted for trade inventory movements, the decline was about 4%. Source
  • Marlboro share down, premium share up: Marlboro retail share of the total cigarette category was 39.7%, down 1.4 points on the year. Its share of the premium segment was 59.5%, up 0.1 point. Source
  • Oral shipments fell 3.1%: Reported domestic oral shipments were 169.9 million cans, down 3.1%. Excluding trade inventory movements, the estimated decline was 8.5%. Source
  • On! lost pouch share: on! held 13.4% of the nicotine pouch category, down 4.2 points on the year, and 7.8% of total U.S. oral share, down 0.8 points. Source
  • Vision investments built into guidance: Guidance includes planned investments in support of the Vision, alongside planned investments in contract manufacturing capabilities. Source

“Our highly cash-generative businesses supported significant returns to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, while we continued to invest in support of our Vision.”

Billy Gifford, Altria’s Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$5.56 to $5.72, a 2.5% to 5.5% growth rate from a $5.42 baseKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: The 2026 adjusted diluted EPS range of $5.56 to $5.72 was reaffirmed, with no change to the figures. Source
  • New: EPS growth is now expected to be more balanced between the first and second halves, where the January release had said it was weighted to the second half. Source
  • New: The reaffirmed range now reflects moderated e-vapor industry growth affecting combustible and e-vapor volumes, plus higher macroeconomic uncertainty for adult nicotine consumers. Source
  • New: Helix expanded on! PLUS nationwide during the quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Adjusted EPS rose 7.3%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.32, up 7.3% from $1.23, driven by higher adjusted OCI and fewer shares outstanding. Source
  • Reported EPS more than doubled: Reported diluted EPS was $1.30 against $0.63, mainly reflecting the prior-year e-vapor goodwill impairment and lower costs tied to the NJOY acquisition. Source
  • Net revenues up 3.2%: Net revenues rose 3.2% to $5.4 billion, and revenues net of excise taxes rose 5.3% to $4.8 billion. Source

Smokeable products segment

  • Smokeable adjusted OCI up 6.3%: Adjusted smokeable OCI rose 6.3% on higher pricing and 2026 refunds of taxes and duties on imported cigarettes, partly offset by higher promotional investments. Source
  • Domestic cigarette volume fell 2.4%: Reported domestic cigarette shipments were 13,867 million sticks, down 2.4%. Adjusted for trade inventory movements, the decline was about 4%. Source
  • Marlboro share down, premium share up: Marlboro retail share of the total cigarette category was 39.7%, down 1.4 points on the year. Its share of the premium segment was 59.5%, up 0.1 point. Source
  • Contract manufactured exports began: Contract manufactured export cigarettes shipped 610 million sticks in the quarter, against none in the prior-year period. Source

“Marlboro strengthened its position in the premium segment, and PM USA continued to execute its total portfolio strategy with discipline.”

Billy Gifford, Altria’s Chief Executive Officer

Oral tobacco products segment

  • Oral adjusted OCI roughly flat: Adjusted oral OCI was $436 million, up 0.2%. Higher pricing was partly offset by lower shipment volume, higher costs and higher promotional investments. Source
  • Oral shipments fell 3.1%: Reported domestic oral shipments were 169.9 million cans, down 3.1%. Excluding trade inventory movements, the estimated decline was 8.5%. Source
  • Copenhagen and Skoal cans declined: Copenhagen cans fell 10.4% to 80.4 million and Skoal cans fell 11.1% to 27.9 million, while on! cans rose 17.6% to 46.2 million. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Smokeable margin up to 65.1%: Adjusted smokeable OCI margin rose 0.7 points to 65.1%, on pricing and tax refunds net of higher promotions, lower volume and higher manufacturing costs. Source
  • Oral margin down 1.8 points: Adjusted oral OCI margin fell 1.8 points to 67.4%, with higher costs and higher promotional investments among the drivers named. Source
  • Adjusted tax rate 23.1%: The adjusted effective tax rate was 23.1%, down 0.4 points. The reported rate was 23.6%, down 12.4 points from 36.0% a year earlier. Source

Demand and retail share

  • Industry cigarette volume down 5%: Adjusted for trade inventory movements, total domestic cigarette industry volume fell an estimated 5%. Source
  • Nicotine pouches reached 58.1%: The nicotine pouch category rose to 58.1% of the U.S. oral category, up 9.1 points on the year. Source
  • On! lost pouch share: on! held 13.4% of the nicotine pouch category, down 4.2 points on the year, and 7.8% of total U.S. oral share, down 0.8 points. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Buybacks cost $280 million: The company repurchased 4.5 million shares at an average price of $62.33 in the first quarter, a total cost of $280 million. Source
  • Dividends of $1.8 billion paid: Dividends paid in the first quarter totaled $1.8 billion. Future dividend payments remain subject to the discretion of the Board. Source
  • Debt and cash balances lower: Total debt was $24.6 billion at March 31, 2026, against $25.7 billion at year-end. Cash and cash equivalents were $3.5 billion, against $4.5 billion. Source

Strategy, investment and special items

  • Vision investments built into guidance: Guidance includes planned investments in support of the Vision, alongside planned investments in contract manufacturing capabilities. Source
  • Special items excluded from adjusted EPS: Adjusted results exclude special items. In the first quarter of 2026 they added $0.02 per share, mostly amortization of intangibles and income tax items. Source
  • Prior-year e-vapor impairment: The first quarter of 2025 included an $873 million non-cash goodwill impairment on e-vapor, or $0.52 per share, which affects the reported EPS comparison. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 April 2026

  • Buyback authority ends December 2026: $720 million remains under the $2 billion program, which expires December 31, 2026. Repurchases depend on marketplace conditions and Board discretion. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Domestic cigarette shipment volume Source13,867 million sticks, down 2.4%
Domestic oral tobacco shipment volume Source169.9 million cans, down 3.1%
Total oral industry volume growth Sourceup an estimated 9.5%, six months to March 31, 2026
Marlboro retail share of cigarette category Source39.7%
Nicotine pouch share of U.S. oral category Source58.1%
On! share of nicotine pouch category Source13.4%, down 4.2 points
Contract manufactured export cigarettes Source610 million sticks

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Discount brands gained share, which management attributes to continued discretionary income pressure on adult nicotine consumers. Source
  • Regulatory: Guidance assumes NJOY ACE does not return to the marketplace in 2026, following the ITC exclusion order. Source
  • Financial: Management cannot forecast certain special items affecting reported EPS, and says these items could be significant and highly variable. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said its guidance, as previously disclosed, includes a progressive increase in cigarette import and export activity over the year. Source
  • Not stated: Guidance contemplates reinvesting anticipated cost savings from the Optimize & Accelerate initiative. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.