New York, June 6, 2026, 10:02 EDT
- Altria finished Friday at $72.19, gaining 2.25%. The S&P 500 dropped 2.6% as U.S. stocks broadly sold off.
- The stock finished up roughly 3.8% for the week, using Friday-to-Friday closes. The S&P 500, by comparison, posted its first down week in 10 weeks.
- Washington is in focus this week as six Democratic senators press Altria and Reynolds American with questions about their lobbying after the FDA changed its enforcement approach.
Altria Group (MO) closed out Friday up again at $72.19, steady for the weekend. That’s four sessions in a row in the green, putting the Marlboro seller just under 3% off its 52-week high. The action came as most of the U.S. market was hit by selling.
Altria acted as a defensive play as risk came off. The S&P 500 dropped 2.6% on Friday and also slid 2.6% for the week, its first weekly decline in 10 weeks. Altria, meanwhile, gained from $69.58 to $72.19 over the week.
The stock is also drawing attention because of Washington. Six Democratic senators, among them Dick Durbin and Elizabeth Warren, sent a letter to Altria and Reynolds American on June 4. The letter asks about contributions and lobbying tied to the Food and Drug Administration’s new “enforcement discretion” policy, meaning how tough regulators plan to be on old rules. Reuters
The policy could let some manufacturers sell vapes and nicotine pouches without a required licence, Reuters reported, which could open up the market. Altria told Reuters the move might help deal with illegal products by combining enforcement and a broader regulated market for smoke-free options.
Altria shares held up well going into the weekend. The stock started Friday at $71.27, hit $73.18, and finished at $72.19. Trading volume came in around 8.0 million shares, StockAnalysis data showed. The stock had dropped Monday, but gained ground each day from Tuesday to Friday.
Peers saw gains as well, with Philip Morris International up 1.9% on Friday to $178.29. British American Tobacco’s U.S.-listed shares added 3.3%. Reynolds American, named with the others in the Senate letters, is owned by BAT.
Altria’s story hasn’t changed much: cigarette volumes are down, prices are high, cash keeps flowing to shareholders. In April, Altria said first-quarter adjusted diluted EPS rose 7.3% to $1.32. Net revenue for the quarter climbed 3.2% to $5.43 billion.
Altria’s then-CEO Billy Gifford said the company had “a strong start to the year” and called its businesses “highly cash-generative,” with support for both dividends and buybacks. Altria kept its 2026 adjusted diluted EPS forecast at $5.56 to $5.72, targeting growth between 2.5% and 5.5%. Sitecore
Altria has changed CEOs, with Sal Mancuso taking over from Gifford after the company’s May 14 annual meeting. The board declared a $1.06 quarterly dividend, payable July 10 to holders registered by June 15. Ex-dividend is June 15, the day buyers miss the upcoming payout.
But the trade isn’t without risks. Altria’s guidance counts on slower e-vapor growth and greater uncertainty for adult nicotine buyers. Its smokeable business is still dealing with weaker shipment numbers. If the FDA tightens up, or cigarette volumes fall off faster, the recent strength in the stock could face a tougher stretch.
Altria doesn’t have any earnings reports set for this week. The company’s next scheduled event is its Q2 earnings call on July 30. So investors are watching what regulators do next, how bond yields move after Friday’s selloff tied to jobs data, and any changes in positioning before the June 15 dividend cutoff.
