Despite the health stigma attached to smoking, tobacco giant Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) continues to report strong earnings. Today, PM announced adjusted earnings of $1.00 per share, or +7%. The company also reported revenue of $6.61 billion. While PM did grow earnings, it did miss expectations slightly, as analysts forecasted EPS of $1.01 and revenue of $6.92 billion.
The news follows reports of Altria Group Inc.
(NYSE: MO) beating earnings yesterday.
The company noted an unfavorable currency adjustment of $138 million in revenues due predominantly to the Euro; and excluding the currency net revenues increased by +2.5%. There were also a few drags on its operations. Among those were various timing issues affecting several markets, Japan in particular. Also noted was a significant excise tax increase implemented in Greece and Turkey.
The company’s increased market share is allowing it to raise and narrow guidance ahead. For 2010, the company sees $3.90-$3.95 EPS versus $3.24 in 2009 and versus a Thomson Reuters estimate of $3.77 EPS.
‘International Tobacco’ repurchased 20.7 million shares of its common stock for $1.1 billion. The company had already juiced its dividend up, but the company is adding to share buybacks with an acceleration of buybacks of an additional $1.0 billion in 2010 under an existing buyback plan.
Revenues rose by +0.4% excluding excise taxes, but that was +2.5% growth excluding currency. Free cash flow rose by 33.6% to $2.3 billion, but this figure was listed as being up +47.4% excluding currency.
It is still too early to see live price indications, but shares closed Wednesday at $57.48 and the 52-week trading range is $42.94-$58.78.
Altria Group Inc. saw its shares rise yesterday to $24.92 from $24.75 after beating earnings with $0.54 EPS versus $0.52 EPS expected, and the 52-week range there is $17.80-$25.00. The boost to Altria was on smokeless tobacco and on Marlboro pricing.