Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) Stock Analysis

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) Stock Analysis

Overall Grade: F (Concerning)

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Philip Morris International Inc. faces challenges in financial performance that warrant careful analysis.

Key Metrics:

Metric Value Context
ROIC 36.5% Above industry average
FCF Margin 26.2% Strong cash generation
Debt/Equity -4.5x Conservative leverage

Investment Thesis: Strong return on invested capital of 36.5% suggests durable competitive advantages and efficient capital allocation.


What is Philip Morris International Inc.'s Profitability and ROIC?

Philip Morris International Inc. generates strong returns on invested capital at 36.5%, indicating efficient capital allocation and competitive advantages. Gross margin of 67.1% with operating margin at 36.6% reflects the company's strong market position.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) 36.5% Excellent Strong capital efficiency
Return on Equity (ROE) -101.4% Red flag Moderate equity returns
Gross Margin 67.1% Excellent Strong pricing power
Operating Margin 36.6% Excellent Efficient operations

How Strong is Philip Morris International Inc.'s Cash Flow Quality?

Philip Morris International Inc. generated $10.7B in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months, representing a 26.2% margin. Cash earnings quality is strong, with operating cash flow exceeding net income by 1.1x.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
Free Cash Flow Margin 26.2% Excellent Excellent cash conversion
Free Cash Flow (TTM) $10.7B Good Positive cash generation
OCF/Net Income 1.1x Excellent High earnings quality
FCF Consistency (8Q) N/A Warning Variable cash flow

What is Philip Morris International Inc.'s Financial Health?

Philip Morris International Inc.'s debt-to-equity ratio of -4.5x indicates conservative leverage.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
Debt to Equity -4.5x Excellent Conservative capital structure
Net Cash Position $-40.4B Warning Net debt position

Is Philip Morris International Inc. Stock Overvalued or Undervalued?

Philip Morris International Inc. trades at a P/E of 22.1x, representing a premium to the sector median of N/A. Free cash flow yield of 4.3% reflects market expectations for growth.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
P/E Ratio 22.1x Adequate Premium valuation
EV/Sales 7.1x Adequate Growth premium priced in
FCF Yield 4.3% Good Lower cash yield
Dividend Yield 3.5% Adequate Meaningful income

Sector Rankings

Metric Value Percentile vs Median
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) 36.5% Top 5% 5.0x above
Free Cash Flow Margin 26.2% Top 5% 3.8x above
Gross Margin 67.1% Top 5% 2.0x above
Operating Margin 36.6% Top 5% 4.7x above
Return on Equity (ROE) -101.4% Top 5% -15.7x below
P/E Ratio 22.1x N/A -

Rating Thresholds

Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)

Measures how efficiently a company uses its debt and equity capital to generate profits. ROIC above 15% typically indicates a competitive moat.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 20% Exceptional capital efficiency, strong competitive moat
Good 12% - 20% Above-average returns, sustainable competitive position
Adequate 8% - 12% Around cost of capital, moderate competitive position
Warning 4% - 8% Below cost of capital, value may be eroding
Red flag < 4% Significant capital destruction, fundamental issues

Current: 36.5% (Excellent - Top 5% of sector (median: 7.3%))

Free Cash Flow Margin

The percentage of revenue converted to free cash flow. Higher margins indicate stronger cash generation and business quality.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 20% Strong cash generation, high-quality business
Good 10% - 20% Healthy cash conversion
Adequate 5% - 10% Moderate cash generation
Warning 0% - 5% Thin cash margins, capital intensive
Red flag < 0% Cash burn, potential liquidity concerns

Current: 26.2% (Excellent - Top 5% of sector (median: 6.9%))

Gross Margin

Revenue minus cost of goods sold as a percentage. Higher gross margins indicate pricing power and competitive advantage.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 50% Strong pricing power and competitive moat
Good 30% - 50% Healthy margins, differentiated product
Adequate 20% - 30% Moderate margins, competitive industry
Warning 10% - 20% Thin margins, commodity-like business
Red flag < 10% Very thin margins, structural challenges

Current: 67.1% (Excellent - Top 5% of sector (median: 33.3%))

Debt to Equity Ratio

Total debt divided by shareholders' equity. Lower ratios indicate more conservative financing and reduced financial risk.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent < 0.3x Conservative leverage, strong balance sheet
Good 0.3x - 0.7x Moderate leverage, healthy financial position
Adequate 0.7x - 1.5x Elevated leverage, monitor closely
Warning 1.5x - 3.0x High leverage, increased financial risk
Red flag > 3.0x Excessive leverage, potential distress risk

Current: -453.3% (Excellent)

P/E Ratio (Price-to-Earnings)

Stock price divided by earnings per share. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation, while higher P/E suggests growth expectations.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent < 15x Attractively valued, potential opportunity
Good 15x - 25x Fair value for quality company
Adequate 25x - 35x Growth premium, justify with earnings growth
Warning 35x - 50x High expectations priced in
Red flag > 50x or negative Speculative valuation or losses

Current: 22.1x (Adequate)

Free Cash Flow Yield

Free cash flow per share divided by stock price. Higher FCF yield indicates better cash return relative to valuation.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 8% High cash return, potential value opportunity
Good 5% - 8% Solid cash yield
Adequate 3% - 5% Moderate cash return
Warning 1% - 3% Low cash yield, growth expectations
Red flag < 1% Minimal cash return to shareholders

Current: 4.3% (Adequate)


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Philip Morris International Inc.'s Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)?

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) has a trailing twelve-month Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 36.5%. This compares above the sector median of 7.3%. An ROIC above 20% indicates exceptional capital efficiency and strong competitive advantages.

Q: What is Philip Morris International Inc.'s Free Cash Flow Margin?

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) has a free cash flow margin of 26.2%, generating $10.7 billion in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months. A FCF margin above 20% indicates excellent cash conversion and a high-quality business model.

Q: Is Philip Morris International Inc. stock overvalued or undervalued?

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) trades at a P/E ratio of 22.1x, which is above the sector median of N/A. The EV/Sales multiple is 7.1x. Free cash flow yield is 4.3%, which is in line with market averages.

Q: Does Philip Morris International Inc. pay a dividend?

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) currently pays a dividend yield of 3.5%. Including share buybacks, the total shareholder yield is 3.5%. This yield is moderate, suggesting a balance between income and growth reinvestment.

Q: What is Philip Morris International Inc.'s revenue and earnings growth?

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) grew revenue by 7.3% year-over-year. Earnings per share increased by 60.8% compared to the prior year. Modest growth indicates a mature business with stable demand.

Q: How does Philip Morris International Inc. compare to competitors in Consumer Staples?

Compared to other companies in Consumer Staples, Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) shows: ROIC of 36.5% is above the sector median of 7.3% (Top 0%). FCF margin of 26.2% exceeds the sector median of 6.9% (Top 0% of sector). Gross margin at 67.1% is 33.9 percentage points higher than sector peers. These rankings are based on MetricDuck's analysis of all Consumer Staples companies with available SEC filings.

Q: What warning signs should I watch for with Philip Morris International Inc.?

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) shows no major financial warning signs based on current metrics. However, investors should always monitor: 1) Margin compression trends, 2) Cash flow consistency, 3) Debt levels relative to cash generation, and 4) Changes in competitive positioning.


Data Source: Data sourced from 10-Q filed 2025-10-24. TTM metrics as of Q4 2025.

Methodology: Financial metrics calculated from SEC 10-K and 10-Q filings using standardized formulas. Sector comparisons use peer group based on SIC code.

This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.