Valued at a market cap of $281.1 billion, Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) is a global tobacco company focused on delivering a smoke-free future. The company offers a wide range of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine brands such as IQOS and ZYN.
Companies valued at $200 billion or more are generally considered "mega-cap" stocks, and Philip Morris fits this criterion perfectly. As part of its long-term strategy, Philip Morris is expanding its portfolio beyond tobacco and nicotine products.
However, shares of the Stamford, Connecticut-based company pulled back marginally from its 52-week high of $181.36, recorded on May 30. Shares of Philip Morris have increased 16.6% over the past three months, outperforming the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLP) marginal decrease over the same time frame.
Longer term, PM stock is up 50.5% on a YTD basis, significantly outpacing XLP’s 4.7% rise. Moreover, shares of the Marlboro maker have surged 78.6% over the past 52 weeks, compared to XLP’s 6.4% return over the same time frame.
The stock has been trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since last year.
Shares of Philip Morris rose 2.4% on Apr. 23 after the company raised its annual profit forecast to $7.36 per share - $7.49 per share. The upward revision was driven by robust growth in newer products, such as ZYN, whose U.S. shipment volume surged 53% year-over-year in Q1 2025, and continued strength in the heated tobacco device IQOS. Additionally, the company reported stronger-than-expected adjusted EPS of $1.69.
In comparison, rival Altria Group, Inc. (MO) has performed weaker than Philip Morris. Shares of Altria Group have gained 30.3% over the past 52 weeks and 15.3% on a YTD basis.
Despite the stock’s strong price action, analysts are cautiously optimistic about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the 13 analysts covering the stock, and as of writing, PM is trading below the mean price target of $183.50.
