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Mar 31, 2021

Altria Q1 2021 Earnings Report

Reported a strong start to the year, with tobacco businesses performing well and progress advancing the non-combustible portfolio.

Key Takeaways

Altria Group, Inc. reported its 2021 first-quarter business results and reaffirmed its guidance for 2021 full-year adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS). Net revenues decreased 5.1% to $6.0 billion. Adjusted diluted EPS decreased 1.8% to $1.07.

Altria paid $1.6 billion in dividends in the first quarter.

Altria repurchased 6.9 million shares at an average price of $47.02, for a total cost of $325 million in the first quarter.

PM USA introduced the new IQOS 3 device for sale in all current markets in March.

Altria subsidiaries closed transactions to acquire the remaining 20% of the global on! business for a total of approximately $250 million in December 2020 and April 2021.

Total Revenue
$4.88B
Previous year: $4.33B
+12.8%
EPS
$1.07
Previous year: $1.09
-1.8%
Marlboro Retail Share
43.1%
Previous year: 42.8%
+0.7%
Gross Profit
$3.27B
Previous year: $2.87B
+13.9%
Cash and Equivalents
$5.79B
Previous year: $5.62B
+3.1%
Free Cash Flow
$3.01B
Previous year: $3.08B
-2.0%
Total Assets
$48.8B
Previous year: $52.6B
-7.3%

Altria

Altria

Altria Revenue by Segment

Forward Guidance

Altria reaffirms its guidance for 2021 full-year adjusted diluted EPS to be in a range of $4.49 to $4.62, representing a growth rate of 3% to 6% from an adjusted diluted EPS base of $4.36 in 2020.

Positive Outlook

  • Planned investments in marketplace to expand availability and awareness of non-combustible products.
  • Costs associated with building an industry-leading consumer engagement platform that enhances data collection and insights in support of ATC conversion to non-combustible products.
  • Increased non-combustible product research and development expense.
  • Expects 2021 adjusted diluted EPS growth in the last three quarters of the year.
  • Continues to expect its 2021 full-year adjusted effective tax rate will be in a range of 24.5% to 25.5%.

Challenges Ahead

  • Conditions related to unemployment rates.
  • Conditions related to fiscal stimulus.
  • ATC dynamics, including stay-at-home practices, disposable income, purchasing patterns and adoption of non-combustible products.
  • Regulatory and legislative (including excise tax) developments.
  • The timing and breadth of COVID-19 vaccine administration.

Revenue & Expenses

Visualization of income flow from segment revenue to net income