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2. Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 47

When a caller asked Jim Cramer about his stance on Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO), the host was torn between the company’s strong performance and his personal reservations. Here’s what he said:

“Altria is troublesome for me because I’ve lost relatives to smoking. At the same time, there’s no denying they are one of the best-run companies in the world and they have actually made more money than almost any company in the world when they did the split with Altria and Philip Morris and Kraft Heinz, so you have a good one. I just don’t want to recommend it myself.”

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) remains one of the world’s leading tobacco producers, backed by iconic brands and a steady track record of returning capital to shareholders. In Q4 2024, the company reported net revenue of $5.11 billion (excluding excise taxes), a modest 1.6% increase year-over-year, and delivered adjusted earnings per share of $1.29, slightly beating analyst expectations. Looking ahead, Altria projects 2025 EPS growth of 2% to 5%, with guidance ranging from $5.22 to $5.37. The company’s performance reflects both margin strength in its core tobacco business and disciplined financial management, even as it faces headwinds from regulatory scrutiny and illicit e-vapor product competition. Altria is also reinvesting savings from its Optimize & Accelerate initiative to support smoke-free innovation and long-term transformation. With a $1.16 billion stake, Arrowstreet Capital lists Altria as one of its top 10 holdings.