Investors navigating the dynamic tobacco industry often find themselves at a crossroads with two major players: Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO) and British American Tobacco PLC (NYSE:BTI) aka BAT. As global trends, regulations and consumer preferences evolve, strategic insights into Altria and BAT are essential for investors trying to figure out which stock is smoking hot. Altria reported its fourth-quarter earnings today, recording a surprising increase of 9.26% for earnings and 7.58% for revenue. The stock has been trading higher on the beat. BAT’s fourth-quarter results are expected on Feb. 12. …