Altria Group Inc vs Ross Stores, Inc. — how do they compare? Altria Group Inc trades at $65.07 (market cap $114.13B), while Ross Stores, Inc. trades at $252.15 (market cap $81.74B). The key difference: Altria Group Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Altria Group Inc pays the higher dividend (6.2%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MO | ROST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $114.13B | $81.74B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $74.92 | $255.23 |
52-Week Low | $54.72 | $144.67 |
Enterprise Value | $136.34B | $82.34B |
Dividend Yield | 6.2% | 0.7% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Altria Group (MO) trades at $68.35, up 0.89% with mixed technical signals showing bearish moving averages but oversold RSI levels. The company maintains strong profitability with 39% net income margin and $6.95B net income for 2025, though revenue declined slightly to $20.14B. Recent earnings show alternating beats and misses, with Q3 2026 results pending. Analyst consensus remains bullish with 61.5% buy ratings and $71.50 price target, while the stock offers a 6.3% dividend yield with 56 consecutive annual increases expected.
MO presents value opportunity with 14.4x P/E ratio and strong cash flow generation, but faces headwinds from cigarette volume declines and regulatory pressures. The smoke-free product transition shows progress but remains early stage. Current price near support at $67 suggests limited downside, while analyst targets indicate 4.6% upside potential. Key risks include litigation exposure and slower-than-expected diversification from traditional tobacco products.
Ross Stores (ROST) trades at $255.23, up 0.36% on the day, near its consensus price target of $259. The stock shows strong momentum with a bullish technical signal and consistent earnings beats, including Q1 2026 EPS of $2.02 versus $1.73 expected. Revenue growth accelerated to $21.13B in 2025, with net income margin improving to 9.74%. Recent expansion includes 47 new stores opened in June-July 2026, supporting future growth.
Outlook remains positive given robust fundamentals and analyst optimism, but valuation multiples like P/E of 35.65 suggest premium pricing. Key risks include consumer spending sensitivity and competitive pressures in discount retail. The stock offers growth potential with disciplined execution, though investors should weigh high valuation against earnings sustainability.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Altria comprises Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, John Middleton, Helix Innovations, and Philip Morris Capital, although the company plans to wind down Philip Morris Capital by the end of 2022. It holds a 10% interest in the world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev. Through its tobacco subsidiaries, Altria holds the leading position in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the United States and the number-two spot in machine-made cigars. The company's Marlboro brand is the leading cigarette brand in the U.S. with a 43% share in 2020. Altria holds strategic investments in JUUL Labs (35% economic interest) and Cronos (42%).
Read more on MO →Ross Stores is a leading American off-price apparel and home fashion retailer, operating over 1,920 stores (at the end of fiscal 2021) across the Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts banners. Ross offers a variety of name-brand products and targets undercutting conventional retailers' regular prices by 20%-70%. The company uses an opportunistic, flexible merchandising approach
Read more on ROST →