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KR or MO or PM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? The Kroger Co. (KR) vs. Altria Group, Inc. (MO) vs. Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- KR has shown strong year-to-date gains of around 21%, driven by solid Q4 revenue growth and strategic shifts, outperforming peers in recent market activity.
- MO leads with a high dividend yield near 6.25% and YTD returns of 17.74%, bolstered by reaffirmed EPS guidance and smoke-free product momentum.
- PM trades at a premium P/E of 24x with 8.89% YTD gains, supported by smoke-free revenue exceeding 40% of total and consistent dividend hikes.
- Defensive consumer staples exposure unites the trio, but KR offers grocery stability, while MO and PM provide higher yields amid tobacco sector shifts.
- Recent volatility favors low-beta names like MO (0.43) and PM (0.40) over KR (0.59) for risk-averse positioning.
- Valuation contrasts: MO at 16x P/E appears cheapest, balancing yield and growth in current conditions.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines KR, a leading U.S. grocery retailer, against tobacco giants MO and PM, all within the consumer staples sector. Investors seeking defensive plays amid market volatility may appreciate their stable demand profiles—essentials like food and nicotine products. Traders focused on relative performance, dividend reliability, and sector rotation will find value in analyzing recent momentum, where grocery resilience meets tobacco's high yields and smoke-free transitions. This overview highlights key metrics for informed stock comparison and market positioning decisions.
KR Overview and Recent Performance
The Kroger Co. (KR) operates over 2,700 supermarkets and pharmacies across 35 states, emphasizing omnichannel grocery and fuel sales with fiscal 2025 revenue near $148 billion. In recent market activity, KR shares have rallied around 21% year-to-date and 6% over the past month, trading near $75 amid positive momentum. Q4 revenue hit $34.7 billion, up 2.1% year-over-year, with gross margins improving to 23.1%, though net margins dipped to 1.82%. Strategic moves like closing 50 underperforming clinics to refocus on core grocery, expanding access to high-demand drugs like Zepbound, and analyst price target hikes have lifted sentiment. Relative strength rating rose to 82, signaling outperformance versus peers, while 2026 guidance projects 1-2% identical sales growth without fuel. Beta of 0.59 reflects moderate volatility, with a P/E around 49x and 1.4% yield.
MO Overview and Recent Performance
Altria Group, Inc. (MO) dominates U.S. tobacco with Marlboro commanding nearly half the cigarette market, while expanding into oral nicotine pouches like on! and e-vapor via NJOY. Shares have advanced 17.74% year-to-date and about 1% monthly, hovering near $68 with a 52-week range of $52.82-$70.51. Recent quarters showed adjusted EPS growth, with 2026 guidance at $5.56-$5.72, implying 2.5-5.5% rise, weighted to H2 amid import/export dynamics. Pricing power offsets volume declines, supporting a robust 6.25% dividend yield—raised for 57 years—and free cash flow covering payouts at 83%. Profitability volatility noted, with net margins at 29.84% in Q4, but low beta of 0.43 enhances defensive appeal. P/E stands at 16.4x, attractive for value in tobacco's oligopoly.
PM Overview and Recent Performance
Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) leads global smoke-free transformation, with IQOS driving 41.5% of $40 billion+ 2025 revenue from non-combustibles across 106 markets. Stock has gained 8.89% year-to-date and 19.7% over the past year, closing near $175 despite recent dips, with beta at 0.40. Q4 results reaffirmed 2026 forecasts, with smoke-free volumes up, quarterly dividend at $1.47 (3.37% yield), and annual increases every year since 2008 at 7.1% CAGR. Operating margins near 35.6% underscore efficiency, though P/E of 24x reflects growth premium versus peers. Sentiment benefits from 27 markets surpassing 50% smoke-free revenue and Europe region's milestone, positioning PM for sustained international expansion.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
KR, MO, and PM anchor consumer staples but diverge in models: KR's grocery volumes face e-commerce rivalry and thin 1.8% margins, contrasting tobacco duopoly pricing power yielding 30%+ for MO/PM. Growth drivers split—KR eyes 1-2% sales via digital/pharmacy, MO oral nicotine (9% market), PM smoke-free (41% revenue). Recent momentum favors KR (21% YTD) over MO (18%), PM (9%). Risks: KR competition/inflation, tobacco regulation/volumes. All low-beta (0.40-0.59), but MO cheapest at 16x P/E, 6% yield vs. PM 24x/3.4%, KR 49x/1.4%. Sentiment tilts to tobacco yields amid staples rotation.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI leans toward MO in the current environment, citing its superior YTD momentum, unmatched 6%+ yield stability, low 16x P/E valuation, and trend consistency via pricing offsetting declines. MO's U.S.-focused catalysts like nicotine pouch gains position it favorably relative to KR's margin pressures and PM's premium multiple, with probabilistic edge in defensive yield amid volatility.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
KR’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileMO’s FA Score has 4 green FA rating(s), and PM’s FA Score reflects 3 green FA rating(s).
- KR’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- MO’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- PM’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
KR’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while MO’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s), and PM’s TA Score reflects 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- KR’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
- MO’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
- PM’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
KR (@Food Retail) experienced а -0.21% price change this week, while MO (@Tobacco) price change was -3.29% , and PM (@Tobacco) price fluctuated -3.20% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food Retail industry was +2.11%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +3.06%, and the average quarterly price growth was +2.30%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Tobacco industry was -0.29%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +0.33%, and the average quarterly price growth was -9.89%.
Reported Earning Dates
KR is expected to report earnings on Jun 11, 2026.
MO is expected to report earnings on Apr 30, 2026.
PM is expected to report earnings on Apr 22, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Food Retail (+2.11% weekly)The food retail industry includes companies that sell food, beverage and household products. Items sold include grocery, gourmet food, fresh produce, and frozen food. Kroger Co., George Weston Ltd., Grocery Outlet Holding Corp., and Sprouts Farmers Markets, Inc. are examples of major food retailers. While e-commerce companies like Amazon have increasingly been ramping-up offerings in the food retail space, several traditional players have also been expanding their online presence to stand their ground against rising competition.
@Tobacco (-0.29% weekly)The industry is engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products like cigarettes. In 2017, tobacco companies spent an estimated $9.36 billion marketing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the U.S. – an amount that translates to more than $25 million each day (according to a CDC report). Philip Morris International Inc., Altria Group Inc., and British American Tobacco plc are some major cigar makers. In recent times, vaping or the use of e-cigarette (does not burn tobacco) is gaining momentum – several established cigarette makers are trying to expand their footprint in this new market.
| KR | MO | PM | |
| Capitalization | 41.6B | 108B | 246B |
| EBITDA | 5.76B | 10.8B | 17.5B |
| Gain YTD | 9.204 | 13.931 | -0.900 |
| P/E Ratio | 44.08 | 15.68 | 21.69 |
| Revenue | 148B | 20.1B | 40.6B |
| Total Cash | 4.58B | N/A | N/A |
| Total Debt | 24.7B | 25.7B | 48.8B |
KR | MO | PM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 54 | 56 | 67 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 55 Fair valued | 8 Undervalued | 22 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 25 | 13 | 19 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 56 | 9 | 3 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 59 | 34 | 60 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 11 | 16 | 83 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
MO's Valuation (8) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as PM (22) in the Tobacco industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for KR (55) in the Food Retail industry. This means that MO's stock grew similarly to PM’s and somewhat faster than KR’s over the last 12 months.
MO's Profit vs Risk Rating (13) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as PM (19) in the Tobacco industry, and is in the same range as KR (25) in the Food Retail industry. This means that MO's stock grew similarly to PM’s and similarly to KR’s over the last 12 months.
PM's SMR Rating (3) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as MO (9) in the Tobacco industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for KR (56) in the Food Retail industry. This means that PM's stock grew similarly to MO’s and somewhat faster than KR’s over the last 12 months.
MO's Price Growth Rating (34) in the Tobacco industry is in the same range as KR (59) in the Food Retail industry, and is in the same range as PM (60) in the Tobacco industry. This means that MO's stock grew similarly to KR’s and similarly to PM’s over the last 12 months.
KR's P/E Growth Rating (11) in the Food Retail industry is in the same range as MO (16) in the Tobacco industry, and is significantly better than the same rating for PM (83) in the Tobacco industry. This means that KR's stock grew similarly to MO’s and significantly faster than PM’s over the last 12 months.
| KR | MO | PM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 65% | N/A | 1 day ago 73% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 64% | 1 day ago 56% | 1 day ago 54% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 50% | 1 day ago 37% | 1 day ago 49% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 57% | 1 day ago 40% | 1 day ago 53% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 47% | 1 day ago 40% | 1 day ago 50% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 53% | 1 day ago 47% | 1 day ago 51% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 57% | 13 days ago 53% | 13 days ago 57% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 46% | 7 days ago 37% | 6 days ago 48% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 60% | 1 day ago 48% | N/A |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 44% | 1 day ago 22% | 1 day ago 32% |
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