3 Overlooked Tobacco Stocks Quietly Making Investors Rich

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Tobacco stocks have a bad reputation. Investors with a particular set of ethics tend to veer away from them because the companies’ products are known to be detrimental to people’s health. However, if you take an objective view, buy-rated tobacco stocks can be good investments. That’s because, though not strictly considered as consumer essentials, tobacco products remain in massive demand despite wide-scale pushback.

Many tobacco companies are also pivoting toward less damaging forms of their products. That’s not to say that tobacco products are safe — not at all. Many countries and assemblies, including the United Nations, consider tobacco use one of the biggest public health threats in the world.

Still, the effort should be recognized — as should the potential returns for investing in tobacco stocks. Such is the nature of business.

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So, today, I’ll take an impartial look at three of the top tobacco stocks to see if they’re worth your consideration.

To generate this list, I screened the market for tobacco stocks with the following criteria:

  • Buy ratings from analysts and

  • Positive net income growth in their last annual report.

Then, I sorted the results based on the highest to lowest net income growth. Here are the results:

Turning Point Brands (TPB)

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Known for its Clipper brand lighter and distributor of alternative smoking accessories and consumables, Turning Point Brands (NYSE:TPB) offers various smoking-related products in its various product segments, like:

  • Zig-Zag segment: cigars, rolling papers and other related products.

  • Stoker segment: chewing tobacco, moist snuff (smokeless) tobacco.

  • Creative Distribution Solutions segment: nicotine-related products.

In FY23, Turning Point experienced a slight decline in consolidated net income and gross profit. This was primarily due to a low single- to double-digit decrease across all segments. Adjusted EBITDA also decreased by 2.4% year over year to $95.3 million.

However, despite slightly lowered sales, the company’s net income increased by 230.4%. Turning Point expects 2024’s adjusted EBITDA to end between $95 million and $100 million, signifying further optimism.

“Our outlook for 2024 is positive,” says President and CEO Graham Purdy, “ as we expect solid growth in our Zig-Zag and Stoker’s Products businesses.”

Analysts share that positive sentiment, as they rate TPB as a member of the “tobacco stocks to buy” list.

Altria Group (MO)

Altria Group, Inc. (MO) logo of US producer and marketer of tobacco and cigarettes is seen on a mobile phone screen.
Altria Group, Inc. (MO) logo of US producer and marketer of tobacco and cigarettes is seen on a mobile phone screen.

Source: viewimage / Shutterstock.com

Known as the owner of some of the tobacco world’s household names, Altria Group (NYSE:MO) is a holding company that owns brands like Marlboro cigarettes, Black and Mild cigars and other tobacco-related products through its subsidiaries.