Earnings Preview: Philip Morris International

OVERVIEW: The quarter was Philip Morris International's first on its own, after being spun off from former parent Altria Group Inc. on March 28.

Both companies produce Marlboro cigarettes. Philip Morris International, which has offices in Lausanne, Switzerland, and New York, also makes L&M, Bond Street and others.

BY THE NUMBERS:

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expect Philip Morris International to earn 83 cents per share on $6.58 billion in revenue, on average.

ANALYST TAKE: Lehman Brothers analyst Michael Branca said he expects the company's results to be boosted by the weak dollar and its ability to increase prices without hurting demand. He said volume may decline by less than 1 percent but the pricing and currency comparison should help offset that.

Branca expects good results from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. He said sales in the EU and Japan are expected to be weaker.

WHAT'S AHEAD: Branca said a stronger dollar could "mute" the company's growth somewhat, but he thinks investors will be satisfied by the fundamental strength of the results. Also, he said the company has just started to return cash to shareholders, so that could bolster shares going forward.

STOCK PERFORMANCE:

Philip Morris International shares fell 2.4 percent to $49.39 from $50.58 during the quarter.