The Fool's Austin Smith loves the powerful returns that come from slow-compounding, dividend-paying companies that investors often consider boring. In this video, Austin discusses how the best stock over the past 50 years, Altria (NYSE: MO), serves as a model for what to expect from its spinoff, Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM). Through a focus on emerging markets, Philip Morris is poised to benefit from volume growth that will drive earnings and dividend growth in the future.
Austin highlights the simplicity of Philip Morris' business model and the power of its Marlboro brand as reasons to consider the stock. These are the same business model and brand that made Altria a success, but without the exposure to Altria's declining domestic business. Austin also differentiates Philip Morris from other industry peers such as Vector Group (NYSE: VGR) and Lorillard (NYSE: LO).
The nature of the tobacco business has risks relating to health concerns and government restrictions, but Altria's historical performance shows that there is plenty of room for market outperformance in higher-growth emerging markets in the future.
