(RTTNews) -  Altria Group Inc. (MO: News ) reported that its third-quarter net earnings attributable to the company were $882 million or $0.42 per share, compared to $867 million or $0.42 per share in the same quarter last year.

Adjusted earnings per share for the quarter increased to $998 million or $0.48, from $951 million or $0.46 in the third quarter of 2008. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $0.47 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Net revenues for the quarter were $6.30 billion, compared to $5.24 billion in the prior year quarter. Revenues, net of excise taxes, for the quarter were $3.727 billion, down from $4.201 billion in the year ago -quarter.

Six analysts had consensus revenue estimate of $4.66 billion for the quarter.
Altria narrowed its full-year 2009 reported earnings per share from continuing operations guidance to a range of $1.53 -$1.56, from the prior forecast of $1.51 - $1.56.

Altria also narrowed its full-year 2009 adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations guidance to a range of $1.74 -$1.77, from the prior range of $1.72 - $1.77. Analysts expect the company to report earnings of $1.76 pershare for fiscal 2009.

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by RTT Staff Writer

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