DEO vs. MO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 19, 2025

Here’s a clear look at DEO and MO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

DEO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, MO is a standard domestic listing.

Symbol	DEO	MO
Company Name	Diageo plc	Altria Group, Inc.
Country	United Kingdom	United States
GICS Sector	Consumer Staples	Consumer Staples
GICS Industry	Beverages	Tobacco
Market Capitalization	61.65 billion USD	110.03 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	March 14, 1991	January 2, 1962
Security Type	ADR	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of DEO and MO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

DEO vs. MO: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	DEO	MO
5-Day Price Return	3.96%	3.07%
13-Week Price Return	-2.64%	15.01%
26-Week Price Return	-8.46%	24.43%
52-Week Price Return	-16.52%	30.19%
Month-to-Date Return	11.28%	5.75%
Year-to-Date Return	-18.74%	25.26%
10-Day Avg. Volume	4.78M	7.66M
3-Month Avg. Volume	3.52M	8.98M
3-Month Volatility	27.58%	20.56%
Beta	0.56	0.60

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

DEO

35.39%

Beverages Industry

Max: 49.46%
Q3: 24.91%
Median: 11.13%
Q1: 5.27%
Min: -5.93%

In the upper quartile for the Beverages industry, DEO’s Return on Equity of 35.39% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

MO

149.65%

Tobacco Industry

Max: 49.48%
Q3: 49.48%
Median: 7.92%
Q1: 5.28%
Min: 4.04%

MO’s Return on Equity of 149.65% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Tobacco industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

DEO

17.79%

Beverages Industry

Max: 21.86%
Q3: 12.24%
Median: 8.70%
Q1: 5.33%
Min: -4.40%

A Net Profit Margin of 17.79% places DEO in the upper quartile for the Beverages industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

MO

37.24%

Tobacco Industry

Max: 21.36%
Q3: 18.49%
Median: 11.05%
Q1: 6.80%
Min: 5.37%

MO’s Net Profit Margin of 37.24% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Tobacco industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

DEO

28.58%

Beverages Industry

Max: 29.32%
Q3: 18.25%
Median: 13.42%
Q1: 10.58%
Min: 0.71%

An Operating Profit Margin of 28.58% places DEO in the upper quartile for the Beverages industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

MO

46.84%

Tobacco Industry

Max: 14.35%
Q3: 12.68%
Median: 11.00%
Q1: 10.58%
Min: 10.58%

MO’s Operating Profit Margin of 46.84% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Tobacco industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	DEO	MO
Return on Equity (TTM)	35.39%	149.65%
Return on Assets (TTM)	7.78%	25.57%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	17.79%	37.24%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	28.58%	46.84%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	60.45%	61.41%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

DEO

1.60

Beverages Industry

Max: 3.38
Q3: 1.97
Median: 1.21
Q1: 0.86
Min: 0.53

DEO’s Current Ratio of 1.60 aligns with the median group of the Beverages industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

MO

0.39

Tobacco Industry

Max: 3.20
Q3: 1.83
Median: 0.83
Q1: 0.72
Min: 0.57

MO’s Current Ratio of 0.39 is notably low, falling beneath the typical range for the Tobacco industry. This suggests a heightened liquidity risk and could indicate potential challenges in meeting its short-term obligations.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

DEO

2.11

Beverages Industry

Max: 2.11
Q3: 1.23
Median: 0.79
Q1: 0.32
Min: 0.00

DEO’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Beverages industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.11. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

MO

8.67

Tobacco Industry

Max: 2.19
Q3: 2.19
Median: 0.74
Q1: 0.26
Min: 0.01

With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 8.67, MO operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Tobacco industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

DEO

13.11

Beverages Industry

Max: 78.96
Q3: 40.67
Median: 9.62
Q1: 3.59
Min: 0.81

DEO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 13.11 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Beverages industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

MO

36.48

Tobacco Industry

Max: 36.48
Q3: 28.54
Median: 7.02
Q1: 6.32
Min: -11.45

MO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 36.48 is in the upper quartile for the Tobacco industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	DEO	MO
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.60	0.39
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.67	0.24
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	2.11	8.67
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	13.11	36.48

Growth

Revenue Growth

DEO vs. MO: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

DEO vs. MO: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

DEO

3.69%

Beverages Industry

Max: 6.93%
Q3: 4.51%
Median: 3.09%
Q1: 2.03%
Min: 0.00%

DEO’s Dividend Yield of 3.69% is consistent with its peers in the Beverages industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

MO

6.25%

Tobacco Industry

Max: 6.71%
Q3: 6.06%
Median: 5.48%
Q1: 3.91%
Min: 3.27%

With a Dividend Yield of 6.25%, MO offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Tobacco industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

DEO

63.78%

Beverages Industry

Max: 143.36%
Q3: 99.22%
Median: 67.03%
Q1: 40.31%
Min: 0.00%

DEO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 63.78% is within the typical range for the Beverages industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

MO

78.29%

Tobacco Industry

Max: 77.64%
Q3: 76.55%
Median: 50.14%
Q1: 47.08%
Min: 42.39%

At 78.29%, MO’s Dividend Payout Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical range for the Tobacco industry. While this provides a significant return to shareholders, it may limit funds for reinvestment and could be difficult to sustain.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	DEO	MO
Dividend Yield (TTM)	3.69%	6.25%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	63.78%	78.29%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

DEO

17.30

Beverages Industry

Max: 41.48
Q3: 28.35
Median: 19.09
Q1: 15.36
Min: 3.14

DEO’s P/E Ratio of 17.30 is within the middle range for the Beverages industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

MO

12.52

Tobacco Industry

Max: 42.16
Q3: 36.45
Median: 20.93
Q1: 10.52
Min: 9.15

MO’s P/E Ratio of 12.52 is within the middle range for the Tobacco industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

DEO

3.08

Beverages Industry

Max: 3.90
Q3: 2.38
Median: 1.54
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.41

DEO’s P/S Ratio of 3.08 is in the upper echelon for the Beverages industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

MO

4.66

Tobacco Industry

Max: 10.48
Q3: 5.39
Median: 3.32
Q1: 1.54
Min: 0.59

MO’s P/S Ratio of 4.66 aligns with the market consensus for the Tobacco industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

DEO

7.45

Beverages Industry

Max: 6.29
Q3: 3.58
Median: 2.19
Q1: 1.68
Min: 0.91

At 7.45, DEO’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Beverages industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

MO

27.09

Tobacco Industry

Max: 4.76
Q3: 4.76
Median: 2.18
Q1: 1.70
Min: 1.06

At 27.09, MO’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Tobacco industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

DEO vs. MO: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Beverages and Tobacco industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	DEO	MO
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	17.30	12.52
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	3.08	4.66
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	7.45	27.09
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	23.05	12.60