Rate worries are back. On Oct. 7, the 10-year Treasury yield hit 5.36%, its highest level in 24 years. Fresh Fed minutes added fuel, showing most policymakers thought another rate hike before year-end made sense. Stocks didn't take it well; the S&P 500 ($SPX) slipped 0.22%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) fell 0.66%, and the Nasdaq 100 ($IUXX) gave up 0.21%.
That kind of market usually sends investors hunting for steady cash flow and fat dividends, and tobacco stocks check both boxes. Altria Group (MO) sits at the center of that trade. The company bumped its quarterly dividend by 4.7% in August, from $1.06 to $1.11 per share, and MO stock is up more than 24% so far in 2026.
