Altria (MO) ended the recent trading session at $52.99, demonstrating a -0.49% swing from the preceding day's closing price. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.09%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.04%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.1%.

The owner of Philip Morris USA, the nation's largest cigarette maker's stock has dropped by 4.88% in the past month, falling short of the Consumer Staples sector's loss of 1.58% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.29%.

The upcoming earnings release of Altria will be of great interest to investors. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $1.28, signifying an 8.47% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $5.04 billion, indicating a 0.29% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $5.12 per share and revenue of $20.38 billion, indicating changes of +3.43% and -0.61%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Altria. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the company's business and profitability.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-team stock moves. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.1% higher. Altria is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.

In terms of valuation, Altria is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 10.41. This signifies no noticeable deviation in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 10.41 for its industry.

Meanwhile, MO's PEG ratio is currently 2.94. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Tobacco industry held an average PEG ratio of 2.56.

The Tobacco industry is part of the Consumer Staples sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 217, finds itself in the bottom 14% echelons of all 250+ industries.