Philip Morris Shares Slide 1.61% on $830M Volume Rank 131st as HTU Growth Drives 20.15% Gains in High-Volume Stock Strategy

Philip Morris International (PM) closed at $165.88 on August 13, 2025, down 1.61% with a trading volume of $830 million, ranking 131st in the market. The stock’s performance was influenced by strategic updates and market dynamics in its heated tobacco unit (HTU) expansion.

PMI’s ILUMA platform is driving HTU growth, with second-quarter 2025 unit sales accelerating to 11.4% year-over-year. Europe and Japan led the charge, with market share gains for IQOS HTU products. In Europe, ILUMA’s rollout boosted IQOS HTU share to 10.9%, while Japan’s 10 million-plus user base saw strong adoption of consumables like TEREA and SENTIA. The company aims to leverage mature markets to expand ILUMA’s reach in over 30 countries, targeting double-digit HTU volume growth for the year.

Strategic focus on smoke-free products remains central to PMI’s long-term goals. Management emphasized repeat usage rates, market share progression, and execution in new launches as key metrics for sustaining growth. While combustible segment declines persist, ILUMA’s adoption could offset these trends, positioning PMI to maintain its leadership in the evolving tobacco landscape.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day from 2022 to now yielded a **20.15% gain**, outperforming passive investing benchmarks. This highlights the potential of high-volume stocks in capturing short-term market momentum.