Needham & Company LLC Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM) Stock

Key Points

• Needham raised Philip Morris International’s price target from $215 to $220 and maintained a “buy” rating, implying approximately 11.3% upside from the previous close.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable: nine analysts rate the stock a Buy and two a Hold, producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and average target price of $207.56.
• Philip Morris exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting adjusted EPS of $2.36 versus $2.30 estimated and revenue of $11.44 billion, up 5.5% year over year; smoke-free products such as IQOS and ZYN continued supporting growth.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM - Get Free Report) had its price objective boosted by investment analysts at Needham & Company LLC from $215.00 to $220.00 in a report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "buy" rating on the stock. Needham & Company LLC's price target would indicate a potential upside of 11.30% from the stock's previous close.

PM has been the topic of several other reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b+)" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $200.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $182.00 to $192.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $195.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $205.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $207.56.

Philip Morris International Stock Performance

PM opened at $197.66 on Thursday. Philip Morris International has a one year low of $142.11 and a one year high of $210.45. The company has a market cap of $308.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.68, a PEG ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 0.34. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $192.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $183.46.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 21st. The company reported $2.36 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $11.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.32 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 163.41% and a net margin of 11.06%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.24 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Philip Morris International will post 8.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PM. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Philip Morris International during the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC raised its position in Philip Morris International by 60.2% in the 1st quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 189 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Kelly Lawrence W & Associates Inc. CA purchased a new stake in Philip Morris International in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Kilter Group LLC acquired a new stake in Philip Morris International during the 2nd quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC boosted its stake in Philip Morris International by 109.2% during the 1st quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 205 shares of the company's stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.63% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Philip Morris International

Here are the key news stories impacting Philip Morris International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Philip Morris reported adjusted diluted EPS of $2.36, above the $2.30 analyst consensus, while revenue rose 5.5% year over year to $11.44 billion, exceeding estimates of $11.32 billion. Philip Morris beats third-quarter estimates on smoke-free product demand
• Positive Sentiment: Organic net revenue increased 7%, supported by pricing, higher volumes and demand for smoke-free products. IQOS and ZYN helped push smoke-free products above 40% of total revenue, reinforcing the company’s long-term portfolio transition. Philip Morris: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors
• Positive Sentiment: The company plans to transition ZYN cans from 15 to 20 pouches, a packaging change that could improve consumer value and support the nicotine-pouch brand’s growth. Philip Morris Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Combustible cigarette and other tobacco volumes grew 6.4%, faster than the 4.1% growth in smoke-free products, suggesting that near-term results remain dependent on traditional tobacco even as management emphasizes reduced-risk alternatives.
• Negative Sentiment: Reported diluted EPS fell 4.9% to $2.12, reflecting inflationary operating pressure and increased investment. Management also warned that global conflicts, including the Iran war, are disrupting operations and could reduce operating income. Philip Morris Says Global Wars Have Disrupted Its Business and Clouded Earnings Outlook

Philip Morris International Company Profile

Philip Morris International Inc NYSE: PM is a global tobacco and nicotine company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. It was established as an independent company in 2008 following the separation of Philip Morris International from Altria Group. The company develops, manufactures and markets tobacco, nicotine and other related consumer products primarily outside the United States.

Its portfolio includes internationally recognized cigarette brands such as Marlboro, Parliament, L&M, Chesterfield and Bond Street.

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