Smoke-free products help Philip Morris top Q4 forecasts

(Sharecast News) - Strong sales of vapes and nicotine pouches helped tobacco giant Philip Morris International beat forecasts with its fourth-quarter results on Thursday, as the manufacturer posted full-year guidance ahead of consensus. Group revenues totalled $9.71bn in the three months to 31 December, up 7.3% on the year before and comfortably surpassing the consensus forecast of $9.44bn.

Sales of PMI's smoke-free products were up 9.2% at $3.9bn, with quarterly shipments of heated tobacco units and oral smoke-free products up 5.1% and 22%, respectively, to collectively top 40bn units for the first time.

Combustibles revenues were 6.0% higher at $5.8bn, with cigarette volumes up 1.1% at 152.8bn units.

PMI reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.55 for the quarter, up 14% on last year and ahead of the $1.50 pencilled in by analysts.

"With strong momentum across all categories, we are confident that our smoke-free transformation and unparalleled brand portfolio will continue to deliver excellent performance and create value for our shareholders in 2025 and for the long term," said chief executive Jacek Olczak.

PMI's popular ZYN pouches were authorised by the FDA to be sold in the US in January. "We hope our other pending FDA applications will be accelerated. We also hope other countries follow the example of the U.S. and embrace effective tobacco harm reduction measures," Olczak said.

For 2025, PMI expects adjusted EPS to come in within the range of $7.04-7.17, up from $6.57 in 2024 and ahead of the current consensus estimate of $7.03, with net revenues tipped to by 6-8% higher.

The stock was up 8% at $141.44 by 1009 in New York.