Philip Morris International's Profit Up

With an increase in profit, Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) beat analysts' expectations in the third quarter. To gain insight into why the company reported as it did, investors might review the company's industry, financials, and commentary.

Earnings and Revenue:
Wall Street watched as Philip Morris International topped expectations with its latest EPS and revenue figures. The company reported adjusted net income of $1.37/share versus the $1.23/share estimate and revenues of $8.36 billion versus the $7.57 billion estimate. Revenue climbed 26.4% from the same period last year.
Last quarter marked the third in a row of rising net income. Philip Morris International's revenue has grown during each of the past four quarters on a year-over-year basis.

Income:
For the year, Philip Morris International reported net income of $4.74/share. The company trumped analyst projections of $4.57 by 3.7%. According to the reported number, the company's income rose 30.5% from last year's levels.

Conference Call:
The conference call for third quarter earnings can be accessed here.

Official Comment:
"While we benefited from a relatively undemanding comparison, our results this quarter were simply superb on each and every key performance measure. Our business in Japan was a key driver of our stellar results, but elsewhere we enjoyed very solid growth and improving trends in virtually all geographies," said Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "It is heartening to witness that the efforts deployed by all our employees are being rewarded by such significant progress and continued strong momentum."

Industry:
Philip Morris International's industry, tobacco, is currently reporting price/earnings growth of 1.7%. The company's EPS compares unfavorably with its industry's estimated average of $4.05.

What to Do Next:
Now you can make a better-informed decision about whether to buy, sell or hold Philip Morris International shares until the next earnings announcement. Whatever you do, be sure to check back in with us before the company's next earnings release for a full prep sheet, just like the one we did here.

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