There's one number that keeps investors interested in Altria (NYSE: MO): the stock's huge 8.4% dividend yield. But consumer staples companies don't get yields like that for no reason. There's also significant risk involved in owning this troubled stock.

Although the past doesn't predict the future, extrapolating a key statistic regarding Altria over time should still send a shudder through the spines of most investors considering this stock. Let's look at where Altria is likely to be in five years and what that might mean for the stock.

Altria is a consumer staples company, which is a sector generally known for containing reliable stocks that grow slowly over time. That makes sense given consumer staples businesses tend to sell small necessity items that get purchased regularly.

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Source Fool.com