Altria Continues to Focus on Smoke-Free Products
The company said in a recent earnings report that it has expanded on! PLUS to 120,000 stores nationwide.
Jul 31, 2026 | 2 min read
Altria Group Inc. recently posted its 2026 second quarter and first-half business results, and shared its narrowed guidance for the remainder of 2026.
In the second quarter, Altria said its operating companies continued to deliver against the priorities it outlined at the start of the year: advancing its smoke-free portfolio and strengthening traditional tobacco businesses.
“In smoke-free, Helix expanded on! PLUS to 120,000 stores nationwide, engaged in trial-generating activities and prepared for additional line extensions to come later this year. In smokeable products, PM USA advanced its data-driven, total portfolio approach to drive profitability as Marlboro Cowboy Cut generated strong interest among premium smokers and Basic continued to gain traction in discount,” Altria said.
“We delivered strong first-half results, driving adjusted diluted EPS growth of 4.9% ... This performance reflects steady, disciplined execution and confidence in our full-year plan, which allowed us to narrow our earnings guidance for the year,” said Sal Mancuso, Altria’s chief executive officer.
“We are raising the lower-end of our full-year 2026 guidance. We now expect to deliver adjusted diluted EPS in a range of $5.61 to $5.72, representing a growth rate of 3.5% to 5.5% from a base of $5.42 in 2025,” Mancuso added.
For the second quarter of 2026 the company reported:
- Net revenues were “essentially unchanged” year over year at $6.1 billion. Higher net revenues in the smokeable products segment and all other categories, which included 2025 acquisition-related items, were offset by lower net revenues in the oral tobacco products segment. Revenues net of excise taxes increased 1.2% to $5.4 billion.
- Diluted EPS decreased 2.8% to $1.37, primarily driven by lower OCI (including higher tobacco and health and certain other litigation items and 2026 costs related to the USSTC Facilities Consolidation) and unfavorable ABI-related special items.
- Adjusted diluted EPS increased 2.8% to $1.48 year over year, primarily driven by higher adjusted OCI and fewer shares outstanding.
For the first half of 2026, the company reported:
- Net revenues increased 1.6% to $11.5 billion year over year, primarily driven by higher net revenues in the smokeable products segment. Revenues net of excise taxes increased 3.1% to $10.1 billion.
- Reported diluted EPS increased 30.9% to $2.67 year over year, primarily driven by higher reported OCI, which includes a 2025 non-cash impairment of the e-vapor reporting unit goodwill.
