Altria or Philip Morris: which stock is cheaper in 2026?
As of October 5, 2026, Altria (MO) trades at 14.2× earnings (P/E) and Philip Morris (PM) at 26.9×, according to Kaplio. The median across the 97 consumer staples companies above $2bn in Kaplio's universe is 20.7×. Kaplio's verdict: Altria, fairly priced; Philip Morris, expensive. Value range by multiples: $55–$98 for Altria and $136–$143 for Philip Morris. Against its own value range, Altria is the cheaper of the two today.
According to the Kaplio Summary
The same verdict as each company's page: price range by multiples, the four lights, the expected return if consensus is right and what Buffett and Lynch would say today.
| Altria (MO) | Philip Morris (PM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Summary valuation | fairly priced ($55–$98) | expensive ($136–$143) |
| The four lights | Valuation: P/E 14.2× (fairly priced) Business: ROIC 37 % (excellent) Balance sheet: Net debt/EBITDA 2.0× (solid) Results: 6 of 8 (on track) | Valuation: P/E 26.9× (expensive) Business: ROIC 26 % (solid) Balance sheet: Net debt/EBITDA 2.5× (watch) Results: 7 of 8 (on track) |
| Expected return (per year) | +9.1 % a year (to 2028) | +5.2 % a year (to 2028) |
| Buffett method | quality 75 · would not approve | quality 75 · would not approve |
| Lynch method | stalwart · would wait | stalwart · would wait |
Metrics side by side
| Metric | Altria (MO) | Philip Morris (PM) |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Market Cap | $112B | $292B |
| Price | $67.35 | $187.46 |
| Valuation | ||
| P/E | 14.2× | 26.9× |
| P/B | -42.5× | -34.5× |
| P/S | 5.2× | 6.9× |
| EV/EBITDA | 11.5× | 18.6× |
| FCF Yield | 7.3 % | 4.3 % |
| Dividend Yield | 6.4 % | 3.2 % |
| Profitability | ||
| ROIC | 37.0 % | 26.0 % |
| ROE | — | -112.2 % |
| Gross Margin | 71.0 % | 67.5 % |
| Operating Margin | 55.9 % | 37.7 % |
| Net Margin | 36.5 % | 25.6 % |
| Growth | ||
| Revenue 5Y CAGR | -0.7 % | 7.2 % |
| EPS 5Y CAGR | 11.4 % | 7.1 % |
| FCF 5Y CAGR | 2.2 % | 3.0 % |
| Balance Sheet | ||
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 2.0× | 2.5× |
| Debt / Equity | -9.2× | -5.7× |
Trailing twelve months where available; otherwise the latest fiscal year. Growth: five-year compound annual rate.