Philip Morris International announced a dividend hike to an annualized $4.68 a share.
The tobacco company’s new quarterly dividend of $1.17 per share, up +2.6% from $1.14, would be payable payable Oct. 11 to holders of record Sept. 25.
Based on Tuesday's Philip Morris stock closing price of $74.50, the new annual dividend rate of $4.68 a share indicates a dividend yield of 6.28%, which is significantly higher than the yield for the SPDR Consumer Discretionary Select Sector ETF of 1.23% and also greater than the implied yield for the S&P 500 of 1.97% (according to FactSet).
In August, Philip Morris confirmed that it was in talks with Altria regarding a potential merger. Interestingly, Philip Morris was once an operating firm of Altria. In 2008, Altria spun off Philip Morris and focused on the domestic cigarette market, while Philip Morris went on to have a larger overseas presence.
Philip Morris, along with several of its peers, has ventured into the e-cigarette market, amidst declining global sales of tobacco products.