NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Mar 5, 2012) - Tobacco stocks have been on an incredible run as of late. TickerSpy's Tobacco and Tobacco Products Stock Index (SMOKE) is up nearly 12 percent over the last month -- outperforming the S&P 500 by roughly 8 percent. Despite stricter regulation, the industry continues generating substantial revenues and cash flow. Five Star Equities examines investing opportunities in the tobacco industry and provides equity research on Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: [ MO ]) and Philip Morris International, Inc. (NYSE: [ PM ]). Access to the full company reports can be found at:

[ www.fivestarequities.com/MO ]

[ www.fivestarequities.com/PM ]

A recent article from the Financial Times (FT) argues that Tobacco use is still rising -- although the majority of established markets have stalled and approximately four in every five smokers are in developing economies. "Where there is potential for faster growth in emerging markets than in mature, it will be driven by pricing and trading up," Oriel Securities analyst Chris Wickham told FT.

Global Industry Analysts Inc. (GIA) recently issued a report stating that major factors driving emerging market tobacco growth include rising demand for international brands and favorable socio-economic factors.

Five Star Equities releases regular market updates on the tobacco industry so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Take a few minutes to register with us free at [ www.fivestarequities.com ] and get exclusive access to our numerous stock reports and industry newsletters.

GIA also says that regulations and bans across developed markets such as the US have prompted manufacturers to shift their focus in developed markets towards expanding existing smokeless tobacco range offering cigarette consumers an alternative to tobacco.

Altria Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smokeless products, and wine in the United States and internationally. Last month the company announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.41 per common share, payable on April 10, 2012, to shareholders of record as of March 15, 2012.

Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells cigarettes and other tobacco products.

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