QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2023
OR
☐
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to
Commission File Number 1-08940
Altria Group, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Virginia
13-3260245
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
6601 West Broad Street,
Richmond,
Virginia
23230
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (804) 274-2200
Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading Symbols
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.33 1/3 par value
MO
New York Stock Exchange
1.700% Notes due 2025
MO25
New York Stock Exchange
2.200% Notes due 2027
MO27
New York Stock Exchange
3.125% Notes due 2031
MO31
New York Stock Exchange
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yesþ No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yesþ No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer
þ
Accelerated filer
☐
Non-accelerated filer
☐
Smaller reporting company
☐
Emerging growth company
☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No þ
At July 24, 2023, there were 1,774,609,985 shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.33 1/3 per share.
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to operating cash flows:
Depreciation and amortization
114
109
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)
(406)
20
(Income) losses from investments in equity securities
(47)
1,229
Dividends from ABI
163
104
Loss on Cronos-related financial instruments
—
14
Cash effects of changes: (1)
Receivables
(58)
4
Inventories
9
50
Accounts payable
(82)
(47)
Income taxes
(191)
6
Accrued liabilities and other current assets
187
(177)
Accrued settlement charges
(1,363)
(1,600)
Pension plan contributions
(11)
(8)
Pension and postretirement, net
(63)
(74)
Other, net (2)
952
81
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
3,108
2,561
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures
(103)
(83)
Acquisition of NJOY, net of cash acquired
(2,750)
—
Other, net
(5)
(67)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
$
(2,858)
$
(150)
(1)2023 amounts are net of the effects from the NJOY Transaction. For further details, seeNote 2. Acquisition of NJOY.
(2) 2023 includes $782 million of unrecognized tax benefit from the ordinary loss for cash tax purposes with respect to a portion of our tax basis associated with our former investment in JUUL, which is substantially offset by a corresponding change included in income taxes. For further discussion, see Note 12. Income Taxes.
See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Continued)
(in millions of dollars)
(Unaudited)
_____________________
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
2023
2022
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Proceeds from short-term borrowings
$
2,000
$
—
Long-term debt repaid
(1,566)
—
Repurchases of common stock
(472)
(1,083)
Dividends paid on common stock
(3,365)
(3,279)
Other, net
(15)
(11)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
(3,418)
(4,373)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Increase (decrease)
(3,168)
(1,962)
Balance at beginning of period
4,091
4,594
Balance at end of period
$
923
$
2,632
The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (1) to the amounts reported on our condensed consolidated balance sheets:
At June 30, 2023
At December 31, 2022
Cash and cash equivalents
$
874
$
4,030
Restricted cash included in other current assets
15
15
Restricted cash included in other assets
34
46
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
$
923
$
4,091
(1) Restricted cash consisted primarily of cash deposits collateralizing appeal bonds posted by PM USA to obtain stays of judgments pending appeals. See Note 13. Contingencies.
See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
Note 1. Background and Basis of Presentation
When used in these notes, the terms “Altria,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to either (i) Altria Group, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries or (ii) Altria Group, Inc. only and not its consolidated subsidiaries, as appropriate in the context.
▪Background: At June 30, 2023, our wholly owned subsidiaries included Philip Morris USA Inc. (“PM USA”), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States; John Middleton Co. (“Middleton”), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco and is a wholly owned subsidiary of PM USA; UST LLC (“UST”), which through its wholly owned subsidiary U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (“USSTC”), is engaged in the manufacture and sale of moist smokeless tobacco products (“MST”) and snus products; Helix Innovations LLC (“Helix”), which operates in the United States and Canada, and Helix Innovations GmbH and its affiliates (“Helix ROW”), which operate internationally in the rest-of-world, are engaged in the manufacture and sale of oral nicotine pouches; and NJOY, LLC (“NJOY”), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of e-vapor products. Other wholly owned subsidiaries included Altria Group Distribution Company (“AGDC”), which provides sales and distribution services to our domestic tobacco operating companies; and Altria Client Services LLC (“ALCS”), which provides various support services to our companies in areas such as legal, regulatory, consumer engagement, finance, human resources and external affairs. Our access to the operating cash flows of our wholly owned subsidiaries consists of cash received from the payment of dividends and distributions, and the payment of interest on intercompany loans by our subsidiaries. At June 30, 2023, our significant wholly owned subsidiaries were not limited by contractual obligations in their ability to pay cash dividends or make other distributions with respect to their equity interests.
As discussed in Note 2. Acquisition of NJOY, on June 1, 2023, we completed our acquisition of NJOY Holdings, Inc. (“NJOY Holdings”), the parent of NJOY. As a result of the acquisition, NJOY became a wholly owned subsidiary of Altria.
At June 30, 2023, we also owned a 75% economic interest in Horizon Innovations LLC (“Horizon”), a joint venture with Japan Tobacco, Inc., which owned the remaining 25% economic interest. Horizon is structured to exist in perpetuity and is responsible for the U.S. marketing and commercialization of heated tobacco stick products.
In March 2023, we entered into a stock transfer agreement with JUUL Labs, Inc. (“Stock Transfer Agreement”) pursuant to which we transferred to JUUL Labs, Inc. (“JUUL”) all of our beneficially owned JUUL equity securities. In exchange, we received a non-exclusive, irrevocable global license to certain of JUUL’s heated tobacco intellectual property (“JUUL Heated Tobacco IP”). Prior to the exchange, we accounted for our investment in JUUL at fair value.
At June 30, 2023, we had investments in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (“ABI”) and Cronos Group Inc. (“Cronos”), which we account for under the equity method of accounting using a one-quarter lag.
For further discussion of our investments in equity securities, see Note 5. Investments in Equity Securities.
▪Share Repurchases: In January 2021, our Board of Directors (“Board of Directors” or “Board”) authorized a $2.0 billion share repurchase program that it expanded to $3.5 billion in October 2021 (as expanded, the “January 2021 share repurchase program”). We completed the January 2021 share repurchase program in December 2022.
In January 2023, our Board of Directors authorized a new $1.0 billion share repurchase program (the “January 2023 share repurchase program”). At June 30, 2023, we had $528 million remaining under the January 2023 share repurchase program. The timing of share repurchases under this program depends upon marketplace conditions and other factors, and the program remains subject to the discretion of our Board.
Our share repurchase activity was as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions, except per share data)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Total number of shares repurchased
10.4
21.4
10.4
10.1
Aggregate cost of shares repurchased
$
472
$
1,083
$
472
$
507
Average price per share of shares repurchased
$
45.37
$
50.53
$
45.37
$
50.35
▪Basis of Presentation: Our interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited. Our management believes that all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the interim results presented have been reflected in our interim condensed consolidated financial statements. All such adjustments were of a normal recurring nature. Net revenues and net earnings for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year.
These statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes, which appear in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Certain immaterial prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current year’s presentation.
On January 1, 2023, we adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers (“ASU No. 2021-08”). This guidance updates how an entity recognizes and measures contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination. Our adoption of ASU No. 2021-08 had no impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements or related disclosures.
Additionally, on January 1, 2023, we adopted ASU 2022-04, Liabilities- Supplier Finance Programs (Subtopic 405-50): Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations (“ASU No. 2022-04”). This guidance requires that a buyer in a supplier finance program disclose sufficient qualitative and quantitative information about the program to allow a user of financial statements to understand the program’s nature, activity during the period, changes from period to period and potential magnitude. At June 30, 2023, our adoption of ASU No. 2022-04 had no material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements or related disclosures.
For a description of issued accounting guidance applicable to, but not yet adopted by, us, see Note 14. New Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted.
Note 2. Acquisition of NJOY
On June 1, 2023, we acquired NJOY Holdings (“NJOY Transaction”), which provided us with full global ownership of NJOY’s e-vapor product portfolio, including NJOY ACE, currently the only pod-based e-vapor product with market authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). The total consideration for the NJOY Transaction of $2.9 billion (subject to closing adjustments), consists of $2.75 billion in cash payments (net of cash acquired) that we paid upon closing plus the fair value of up to $500 million in additional cash payments that are contingent on receipt of FDA authorizations with respect to certain NJOY products. The fair value of these contingent payments on the acquisition date and at June 30, 2023 was $130 million, which is included in the total consideration.
We funded the NJOY Transaction cash payments through a combination of a $2.0 billion term loan facility, the issuance of commercial paper and available cash. For further discussion regarding the term loan facility, see Note 11. Debt.
We accounted for this acquisition as a business combination. NJOY’s financial position and results of operations beginning June 1, 2023 have been consolidated with our consolidated financial results and included in the all other category.
The fair value estimates of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are preliminary and subject to adjustments during the measurement period (up to one year following the acquisition date). The primary areas of accounting for the NJOY Transaction that are not yet finalized relate to the fair value of certain intangible assets acquired, certain contingent liabilities, residual goodwill and any related tax impact. During the measurement period, we will adjust preliminary valuations assigned to assets and liabilities if new information is obtained about facts and circumstances that existed as of the NJOY Transaction date, that, if known, would have resulted in revised values for these items as of that date. The impact of all changes, if any, that do not qualify as measurement period adjustments will be included in current period earnings.
The following amounts represent the preliminary estimates for purchase price allocation to assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the NJOY Transaction, which are expected to be finalized during 2023:
(in millions)
Cash and cash equivalents
$
22
Receivables
7
Inventories
19
Other assets
7
Property, plant and equipment
16
Other intangible assets:
Developed technology (amortizable)
1,000
Trademarks (amortizable)
230
Supplier agreements (amortizable)
180
Accounts payable
(7)
Accrued liabilities
(20)
Deferred income taxes
(167)
Total identifiable net assets
1,287
Total consideration
2,900
Goodwill
$
1,613
The excess of the total consideration over the identifiable net assets acquired in the NJOY Transaction primarily reflects the value of future growth opportunities in the e-vapor category. None of the goodwill or other intangible assets will be deductible for tax purposes.
The significant assumptions used in determining the preliminary fair values of the identifiable intangible assets included revenue growth rates, profit margins, the assessment of acquired technology life cycles, discount rates, as well as other factors. We determined the preliminary fair values of the identifiable intangibles assets using an income approach. The fair value measurements were primarily based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market, such as discounted cash flow analyses, and thus represent a Level 3 measurement. We amortize the intangible assets over their estimated lives of 13 to 18 years.
In determining the estimated fair value of contingent payments, we made certain judgments, estimates and assumptions, the most significant of which was the likelihood of certain potential regulatory outcomes. Contingent payments are classified in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Costs incurred for the NJOY Transaction have been and will be recognized as expenses in the period in which the costs are incurred. We incurred $49 million and $41 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, for acquisition-related costs, consisting primarily of transaction costs and financing fees, which were included in corporate expense and interest and other debt expense, net, respectively, in our condensed consolidated statements of earnings.
Note 3. Revenues from Contracts with Customers
We disaggregate net revenues based on product type. For further discussion, see Note 10. Segment Reporting.
We calculate substantially all cash discounts, offered to customers for prompt payment, as a flat rate per unit based on agreed-upon payment terms and record receivables net of the cash discounts on our condensed consolidated balance sheets.
We record payments received by our businesses in advance of product shipment as deferred revenue. These payments are included in other accrued liabilities on our condensed consolidated balance sheets until control of such products is obtained by the customer. Deferred revenue from contracts with customers was $359 million and $252 million at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. When cash is received in advance of product shipment, our companies satisfy their performance obligations within three days of receiving payment. At June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no differences between amounts recorded as deferred revenue from contracts with customers and amounts subsequently recognized as revenue.
Receivables (excluding receivable from the sale of IQOS System commercialization rights) were $63 million and $48 million at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. At June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no expected differences between amounts recorded and subsequently received, and we did not record an allowance for credit losses against these receivables.
We record an allowance for returned goods, which is included in other accrued liabilities on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. It is USSTC’s policy to accept authorized sales returns from its customers for products that have passed the freshness date printed on product packaging due to the limited shelf life of USSTC’s MST and snus products. We record estimated sales returns, which are based principally on historical volume and return rates, as a reduction to revenues. Actual sales returns will differ from estimated sales returns to the extent actual results differ from estimated assumptions. We reflect differences between actual and estimated sales returns in the period in which the actual amounts become known. These differences, if any, have not had a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements. All returned goods are destroyed upon return and not included in inventory. Consequently, we do not record an asset for USSTC’s right to recover goods from customers upon return.
Sales incentives include variable payments related to goods sold by our businesses. We include estimates of variable consideration as a reduction to revenues upon shipment of goods to customers. The sales incentives that require significant estimates and judgments are as follows:
▪Price promotion payments- We make price promotion payments, substantially all of which are made to our retail partners to incent the promotion of certain product offerings in select geographic areas.
▪Wholesale and retail participation payments- We make payments to our wholesale and retail partners to incent merchandising and sharing of sales data in accordance with our trade agreements.
These estimates primarily include estimated wholesale to retail sales volume and historical acceptance rates. Actual payments will differ from estimated payments to the extent actual results differ from estimated assumptions. Differences between actual and estimated payments are reflected in the period such information becomes available. These differences, if any, have not had a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.
Note 4. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, net
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net, were as follows:
Goodwill
Other Intangible Assets, net
(in millions)
June 30, 2023
December 31, 2022
June 30, 2023
December 31, 2022
Smokeable products segment
$
99
$
99
$
2,977
$
2,989
Oral tobacco products segment
5,078
5,078
9,081
9,097
Other
1,613
—
1,691
298
Total
$
6,790
$
5,177
$
13,749
$
12,384
Other intangible assets consisted of the following:
June 30, 2023
December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Gross Carrying Amount
Accumulated Amortization
Gross Carrying Amount
Accumulated Amortization
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
$
11,443
$
—
$
11,443
$
—
Definite-lived intangible assets
2,821
515
1,411
470
Total other intangible assets
$
14,264
$
515
$
12,854
$
470
At June 30, 2023, substantially all of our indefinite-lived intangible assets consisted of our trademarks from our 2009 acquisition of UST ($8.8 billion) and 2007 acquisition of Middleton ($2.6 billion). Definite-lived intangible assets, consisting primarily of intellectual property (which includes developed technology), certain cigarette trademarks, e-vapor trademarks, customer relationships and supplier agreements are amortized over a weighted-average period of 18 years. Pre-tax amortization expense for definite-lived intangible assets was $45 million and $35 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $27 million and $18 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our annualized amortization expense, which includes the impact of the NJOY Transaction, for each of the next five years is estimated to be approximately $160 million, assuming no additional transactions occur that require the amortization of intangible assets.
In July 2023, we received the remaining payment of approximately $1.8 billion (including interest) from Philip Morris International Inc. (“PMI”) as part of the agreement with PMI to, among other things, transition and ultimately conclude our relationship with respect to the IQOS Tobacco Heating System (“IQOS System”) in the United States (“Remaining PMI Payment”). In 2022, we received $1.0 billion from PMI upon entering into the agreement. For the six and three months ended June 30, 2023, we recorded interest income related to the Remaining PMI Payment of $51 million and $26 million, respectively, in our condensed consolidated statements of earnings. At June 30, 2023, our condensed consolidated balance sheet included a pre-tax $2.7 billion deferred gain, which we expect to recognize in earnings when we relinquish our rights to the IQOS System effective April 30, 2024.
The changes in goodwill and net carrying amount of intangible assets were as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2023
For the Year Ended December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Goodwill
Other Intangible Assets, net
Goodwill
Other Intangible Assets, net
Balance at January 1
$
5,177
$
12,384
$
5,177
$
12,306
Changes due to:
Acquisitions (1)
1,613
1,410
—
151
Amortization
—
(45)
—
(73)
Balance at end of period
$
6,790
$
13,749
$
5,177
$
12,384
(1) 2023 amounts attributable to the NJOY Transaction. For additional information regarding the NJOY Transaction, see Note 2. Acquisition of NJOY. 2022 amounts attributable to certain intellectual property for other tobacco products.
We conduct a required annual review of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles for potential impairment, and more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would require us to perform an interim review. There have been no events or changes in circumstances that indicate an interim impairment review was required as of June 30, 2023. We will perform our annual impairment testing during the fourth quarter of 2023.
Note 5. Investments in Equity Securities
The carrying amount of our current and former investments consisted of the following:
(in millions)
June 30, 2023
December 31, 2022
ABI
$
9,302
$
8,975
Cronos
341
375
JUUL
—
250
Total
$
9,643
$
9,600
(Income) losses from our current and former investments in equity securities consisted of the following:
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
ABI (1)
$
(340)
$
(212)
$
(135)
$
(12)
Cronos (1)
43
186
8
120
(Income) losses from investments under equity method of accounting
(297)
(26)
(127)
108
JUUL
250
(2)
1,255
(3)
—
1,155
(3)
(Income) losses from investments in equity securities
$
(47)
$
1,229
$
(127)
$
1,263
(1) Includes our share of amounts recorded by our investees and additional adjustments, if required, related to (i) the conversion from international financial reporting standards to United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and (ii) adjustments to our investments required under the equity method of accounting.
(2) Represents loss as a result of the disposition of our JUUL equity securities discussed below.
(3) Represents the estimated change in fair value. Prior to the disposition of our JUUL equity securities on March 3, 2023, we accounted for our former investment in JUUL as an investment in an equity security measured at fair value.
Investment in ABI
At June 30, 2023, we had an approximate 10% ownership interest in ABI, consisting of 185 million restricted shares of ABI (the “Restricted Shares”) and 12 million ordinary shares of ABI. The Restricted Shares:
▪are unlisted and not admitted to trading on any stock exchange;
▪are convertible by us into ordinary shares of ABI on a one-for-one basis;
▪rank equally with ordinary shares of ABI with regards to dividends and voting rights; and
▪have director nomination rights with respect to ABI.
We have not elected to convert our Restricted Shares into ordinary shares of ABI.
We account for our investment in ABI under the equity method of accounting because we have the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of ABI, including having active representation on ABI’s board of directors and certain ABI board committees. Through this representation, we participate in ABI’s policy making processes.
We report our share of ABI’s results using a one-quarter lag because ABI’s results are not available in time for us to record them in the concurrent period.
The fair value of our equity investment in ABI is based on (i) unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for ABI’s ordinary shares and was classified in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy and (ii) observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets for the Restricted Shares and was classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. We can convert our Restricted Shares to ordinary shares at our discretion. Therefore, the fair value of each Restricted Share is based on the value of an ordinary share.
The fair value of our equity investment in ABI at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 was $11.2 billion and $11.9 billion, respectively, which exceeded its carrying value of $9.3 billion and $9.0 billion by approximately 20% and 33%, respectively.
Investment in Cronos
At June 30, 2023, we had a 41.1% ownership interest in Cronos, consisting of 156.6 million shares, which we account for under the equity method of accounting. We report our share of Cronos’s results using a one-quarter lag because Cronos’s results are not available in time for us to record them in the concurrent period.
The fair value of our equity method investment in Cronos is based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for Cronos’s common shares and was classified in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. At December 31, 2022, the fair value of our equity method investment in Cronos exceeded its carrying value by $22 million or approximately 6%.
At June 30, 2023, the fair value of our equity method investment in Cronos was less than its carrying value by $32 million or approximately 9%. Based on our evaluation of the duration and magnitude of the fair value decline, our evaluation of Cronos’s financial condition (including its strong cash position) and near-term prospects, and our intent and ability to hold our investment in Cronos until recovery, we concluded that the decline in fair value of our equity method investment in Cronos below its carrying value is temporary and, therefore, no impairment was recorded.
As part of our investment in Cronos, at June 30, 2023, we also owned anti-dilution protections to purchase Cronos common shares, exercisable each quarter upon dilution, to maintain our ownership percentage. Certain of the anti-dilution protections provide us the ability to purchase additional Cronos common shares at a per share exercise price of Canadian dollar (“CAD”) $16.25 upon the occurrence of specified events (“Fixed-price Preemptive Rights”). The Fixed-price Preemptive Rights had no value at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. Prior to December 2022, we also owned a warrant providing us the ability to purchase an additional approximate 10% of common shares of Cronos at a per share exercise price of CAD $19.00, which would have expired on March 8, 2023. In December 2022, we irrevocably abandoned the Cronos warrant.
Former Investment in JUUL
In March 2023, we entered into the Stock Transfer Agreement with JUUL pursuant to which, among other things, we transferred to JUUL all of our beneficially owned JUUL equity securities. Concurrently with and in connection with the execution of the Stock Transfer Agreement, JUUL entered into an agreement with us that provides us with a non-exclusive, irrevocable global license to certain of the JUUL Heated Tobacco IP. In addition, all other agreements between us, on the one hand, and JUUL, on the other hand, were terminated or we were removed as parties thereto, other than certain litigation-related agreements and a license agreement relating to our non-trademark licensable intellectual property rights in the e-vapor field, which remain in force solely with respect to our e-vapor intellectual property as of or prior to March 3, 2023.
As a result of transferring to JUUL all of our beneficially owned JUUL equity securities pursuant to the Stock Transfer Agreement, for the three months ended March 31, 2023, we recorded a non-cash, pre-tax loss on the disposition of our JUUL equity securities of $250 million. Additionally, we considered specific facts and circumstances around the nature of the JUUL Heated Tobacco IP and determined that the fair value of such intellectual property was not material to our consolidated financial statements as of the date of the transaction. As a result, we did not record an asset associated with this intellectual property on our condensed consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2023. The primary drivers of this conclusion were (i) our rights to the JUUL Heated Tobacco IP being non-exclusive, (ii) there being no product or technology transferred to us associated with the JUUL Heated Tobacco IP and (iii) there being no connection between the JUUL Heated Tobacco IP and our current product development plans.
In April 2020, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued an administrative complaint challenging our former investment in JUUL. In June 2023, the FTC issued an order dismissing its complaint, which concluded the matter. For further discussion, see Note 13. Contingencies - Antitrust Litigation.
We enter into derivative financial instruments to mitigate the potential impact of certain market risks, including foreign currency exchange rate risk. We use various types of derivative financial instruments, including forward contracts, options and swaps. We do not enter into or hold derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes.
Our investment in ABI, whose functional currency is the Euro, exposes us to foreign currency exchange risk on the carrying value of our investment. To manage this risk, we may designate certain foreign exchange contracts, including cross-currency swap contracts and forward contracts (collectively, “foreign currency contracts”), and Euro denominated unsecured long-term notes (“foreign currency denominated debt”) as net investment hedges of our investment in ABI.
At June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we had no outstanding foreign currency contracts. When we have foreign currency contracts in effect, counterparties are domestic and international financial institutions. Under these contracts, we are exposed to potential losses in the event of non-performance by these counterparties. We manage our credit risk by entering into transactions with counterparties that have investment grade credit ratings, limiting the amount of exposure we have with each counterparty and monitoring the financial condition of each counterparty. The counterparty agreements contain provisions that require us to maintain an investment grade credit rating. In the event our credit rating falls below investment grade, counterparties to our foreign currency contracts can require us to post collateral.
The aggregate carrying value and fair value of our total long-term debt were as follows:
(in millions)
June 30, 2023
December 31, 2022
Carrying value
$
25,195
$
26,680
Fair value
22,281
22,928
Foreign currency denominated debt included in long-term debt:
Carrying value
3,263
4,540
Fair value
2,969
4,165
Our estimate of the fair value of our total long-term debt is based on observable market information derived from a third-party pricing source and is classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
Net Investment Hedging
We recognized changes in the carrying value of the foreign currency denominated debt due to changes in the Euro to U.S. dollar exchange rate in accumulated other comprehensive losses related to ABI.
We recognized pre-tax (gains) losses of our net investment hedges of $69 million and $(375) million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $21 million and $(247) million for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, in accumulated other comprehensive losses.
Note 7. Benefit Plans
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Income)
Net periodic benefit cost (income) consisted of the following:
Pension
Postretirement
Pension
Postretirement
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
2023
2022
2023
2022
Service cost
$
20
$
32
$
8
$
10
$
11
$
17
$
4
$
5
Interest cost
166
104
34
20
83
52
17
10
Expected return on plan assets
(243)
(247)
(4)
(6)
(122)
(124)
(2)
(3)
Amortization:
Net loss
2
48
—
8
1
24
—
4
Prior service cost (credit)
3
3
(20)
(23)
2
1
(10)
(11)
Net periodic benefit cost (income)
$
(52)
$
(60)
$
18
$
9
$
(25)
$
(30)
$
9
$
5
Employer Contributions
We make contributions to our pension plans to the extent that the contributions are tax deductible and pay benefits that relate to plans for salaried employees that cannot be funded under Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) regulations. We made employer contributions of $11 million to our pension plans and did not make any contributions to our postretirement plans during the six
months ended June 30, 2023. Currently, we anticipate making additional employer contributions of up to approximately $20 million to our pension plans and $30 million to our postretirement plans in 2023. However, the foregoing estimates of 2023 contributions to our pension and postretirement plans are subject to change as a result of changes in tax and other benefit laws, changes in interest rates, as well as asset performance significantly above or below the assumed long-term rate of return for each respective plan.
Note 8. Earnings per Share
We calculated basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) using the following:
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Net earnings
$
3,904
$
2,850
$
2,117
$
891
Less: Distributed and undistributed earnings attributable to share-based awards
(7)
(6)
(4)
(2)
Earnings for basic and diluted EPS
$
3,897
$
2,844
$
2,113
$
889
Weighted-average shares for basic and diluted EPS
1,784
1,813
1,782
1,809
Note 9. Other Comprehensive Earnings/Losses
Changes in each component of accumulated other comprehensive losses, net of deferred income taxes, attributable to Altria were as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2023
(in millions)
Benefit Plans
ABI
Currency Translation Adjustments and Other
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Losses
Balances, December 31, 2022
$
(1,436)
$
(1,369)
$
34
$
(2,771)
Other comprehensive earnings (losses) before reclassifications
—
72
7
79
Deferred income taxes
—
(13)
—
(13)
Other comprehensive earnings (losses) before reclassifications, net of deferred income taxes
—
59
7
66
Amounts reclassified to net earnings
(14)
9
—
(5)
Deferred income taxes
3
(2)
—
1
Amounts reclassified to net earnings, net of deferred income taxes
(11)
7
—
(4)
Other comprehensive earnings (losses), net of deferred income taxes
Other comprehensive earnings (losses) before reclassifications
—
746
4
750
Deferred income taxes
—
(163)
—
(163)
Other comprehensive earnings (losses) before reclassifications, net of deferred income taxes
—
583
4
587
Amounts reclassified to net earnings
20
(23)
—
(3)
Deferred income taxes
(4)
5
—
1
Amounts reclassified to net earnings, net of deferred income taxes
16
(18)
—
(2)
Other comprehensive earnings (losses), net of deferred income taxes
16
565
(1)
4
585
Balances, June 30, 2022
$
(1,581)
$
(869)
$
73
$
(2,377)
(1) Primarily reflects our share of ABI’s currency translation adjustments and the impact of our designated net investment hedges related to our equity investment in ABI. For further discussion of designated net investment hedges, see Note 6. Financial Instruments.
Pre-tax amounts by component, reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive losses to net earnings were as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Benefit Plans: (1)
Net loss
$
3
$
61
$
2
$
30
Prior service cost/credit
(17)
(20)
(8)
(10)
(14)
41
(6)
20
ABI (2)
9
(58)
8
(23)
Pre-tax amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive losses to net earnings
$
(5)
$
(17)
$
2
$
(3)
(1) Amounts are included in net defined benefit plan costs. For further details, see Note 7. Benefit Plans.
(2) Amounts are included in (income) losses from investments in equity securities. For further information, see Note 5. Investments in Equity Securities.
Note 10. Segment Reporting
At June 30, 2023 our reportable segments were smokeable products and oral tobacco products, which include (i) smokeable tobacco products, consisting of combustible cigarettes manufactured and sold by PM USA, and machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco manufactured and sold by Middleton; and (ii) oral tobacco products, consisting of MST and snus products manufactured and sold by USSTC, and oral nicotine pouches manufactured and sold by Helix.
The all other category included (i) the financial results of NJOY (beginning June 1, 2023); (ii) Helix ROW; (iii) our former financial services business, which completed the wind-down of its portfolio of finance assets in 2022; and (iv) the IQOS System heated tobacco business.
Our chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) reviews operating companies income (loss) (“OCI”) to evaluate the performance of, and allocate resources to, our segments. OCI for our segments is defined as operating income before general corporate expenses and amortization of intangibles. Interest and other debt expense, net, along with net periodic benefit income, excluding service cost, and provision for income taxes are centrally managed at the corporate level and, accordingly, such items are not presented by segment since they are excluded from the measure of segment profitability reviewed by our CODM.
Net periodic benefit income, excluding service cost
(62)
(93)
(31)
(47)
(Income) losses from investments in equity securities
(47)
1,229
(127)
1,263
Loss on Cronos-related financial instruments
—
14
—
4
Earnings before income taxes
$
5,285
$
4,278
$
2,806
$
1,605
The comparability of OCI for our reportable segments was affected by the following:
▪Non-Participating Manufacturer (“NPM”) Adjustment Items: We recorded pre-tax income for NPM adjustment items of $60 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022 in our smokeable products segment. We recorded these items as reductions to cost of sales in our condensed consolidated statement of earnings, which resulted in increased OCI in our smokeable products segment. NPM adjustment items result from the resolutions of certain disputes with states and territories related to the NPM adjustment provision under the Master Settlement Agreement (such dispute resolutions are referred to as “NPM Adjustment Items” and are more fully described in Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation in Note 13. Contingencies).
▪Tobacco and Health and Certain Other Litigation Items:Werecorded pre-tax charges related to tobacco and health and certain other litigation items as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Smokeable products segment
$
52
$
50
$
40
$
38
General corporate expenses
338
7
240
7
Interest and other debt expense, net
11
1
10
1
Total
$
401
$
58
$
290
$
46
We recorded the amounts shown in the table above for the smokeable products segment and general corporate expenses in marketing, administration and research costs in our condensed consolidated statements of earnings. For further discussion, see Note 13. Contingencies.
Note 11. Debt
Short-term Borrowings and Borrowing Arrangements
At June 30, 2023, we had $2.0 billion in short-term borrowings resulting from a term loan facility. At December 31, 2022, we had no short-term borrowings.
In June 2023, we entered into a $2.0 billion term loan facility and borrowed the full amount available to fund a portion of the cash payments at the closing of the NJOY Transaction. In July 2023, upon receipt of the Remaining PMI Payment, we repaid
the term loan facility in full. For additional information regarding the NJOY Transaction and the Remaining PMI Payment, see Note 2. Acquisition of NJOY and Note 4. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, net, respectively.
We have a $3.0 billion senior unsecured 5-year revolving credit agreement (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), which is used for general corporate purposes and expires on August 1, 2025.
At June 30, 2023, we had availability under the Credit Agreement for borrowings of up to an aggregate principal amount of $3.0 billion.
Pricing for interest and fees under the Credit Agreement may be modified in the event of a change in the rating of our long-term senior unsecured debt. We expect interest rates on borrowings under the Credit Agreement to be based on the Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate plus a percentage based on the higher of the ratings of our long-term senior unsecured debt from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC. The applicable percentage for borrowings under the Credit Agreement at June 30, 2023 was 1.0% based on our long-term senior unsecured debt ratings on that date. The Credit Agreement does not include any other rating triggers or any provisions that could require the posting of collateral.
The Credit Agreement includes various covenants, one of which requires us to maintain a ratio of consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) to Consolidated Interest Expense of not less than 4.0 to 1.0, calculated as of the end of the applicable quarter on a rolling four quarters basis. At June 30, 2023, we were in compliance with our covenants in the Credit Agreement. The terms “Consolidated EBITDA” and “Consolidated Interest Expense,” each as defined in the Credit Agreement, include certain adjustments.
Any commercial paper issued by us and borrowings under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by PM USA.
Long-term Debt
The aggregate carrying value of our total long-term debt at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 was $25.2 billion and $26.7 billion, respectively.
In May 2023, we repaid in full our 2.950% senior unsecured notes in the aggregate principal amount of $218 million at maturity. In addition, during the first quarter of 2023, we repaid in full our 1.000% senior unsecured Euro notes in the aggregate principal amount of $1.3 billion (€1.25 billion) at maturity.
At June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, accrued interest on our total debt of $368 million and $411 million, respectively, was included in other accrued liabilities on our condensed consolidated balance sheets.
For a discussion of the fair value of our long-term debt and the designation of our Euro denominated senior unsecured notes as a net investment hedge of our investment in ABI, see Note 6. Financial Instruments.
Note 12. Income Taxes
In August 2022, the U.S. Government enacted legislation commonly referred to as the Inflation Reduction Act that became effective January 1, 2023. The main provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that impact us are: (i) a 15% corporate alternative minimum tax (“Corporate AMT”) and (ii) a 1% excise tax on share repurchases, which is recorded in equity on our consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity (deficit).
We are considered an “applicable corporation” for purposes of Corporate AMT. We expect our regular federal income tax liability will generally exceed our Corporate AMT liability; however, certain unique circumstances may result in our Corporate AMT liability exceeding our regular federal income tax liability, including when tax losses are reported in a different year than book losses.
Earnings before income taxes, provision for income taxes and income tax rates consisted of the following:
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Earnings before income taxes
$
5,285
$
4,278
$
2,806
$
1,605
Provision for income taxes
1,381
1,428
689
714
Income tax rate
26.1
%
33.4
%
24.6
%
44.5
%
Our income tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2023 differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21%, due primarily to state tax expense and a valuation allowance recorded against a deferred tax asset related to the disposition of our former investment in JUUL. Our income tax rate for the three months ended June 30, 2023 differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21%, due primarily to state tax expense.
Our income tax rates for the six and three months ended June 30, 2022 differ from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21%, due primarily to a valuation allowance recorded against a deferred tax asset related to the decreases in the estimated fair value of our former investment in JUUL.
We are subject to income taxation in many jurisdictions. Unrecognized tax benefits reflect the differences between tax positions we have taken or expect to take on income tax returns and the amounts recognized in the financial statements. Resolution of the related tax positions with the relevant tax authorities may take many years to complete, and such timing is not entirely within our control.
For the year ending December 31, 2023, we expect to recognize an approximate $6.5 billion ordinary loss for cash tax purposes with respect to a portion of our tax basis associated with our former investment in JUUL. For financial statement purposes, we expect to fully reserve for the tax benefit associated with this ordinary loss by recording an unrecognized tax benefit of approximately $1.6 billion in 2023 on a pro-rata basis, pending the IRS’s review of our tax position. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, we recognized a pro-rata portion of this ordinary loss, which resulted in a tax benefit of $760 million and a reduction to our current income taxes payable. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, we also recognized a $782 million increase in a long-term liability for unrecognized tax benefits related to this tax position, partially offset by a $22 million deferred federal benefit for state taxes. There was no impact to our condensed consolidated statement of earnings for the six and three months ended June 30, 2023. For further discussion of our former investment in JUUL, see Note 5. Investments in Equity Securities.
At June 30, 2023, our total unrecognized tax benefits were $842 million. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate at June 30, 2023, was $35 million, along with $807 million affecting deferred taxes. The amount of unrecognized tax benefit that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate at December 31, 2022, was $44 million, along with $25 million affecting deferred taxes. Unrecognized tax benefits increased by $773 million from December 31, 2022 due primarily to the tax position established with respect to the character of losses from our former investment in JUUL as discussed above.
As a result of the recognition of the approximate $6.5 billion ordinary loss for cash tax purposes discussed above, we expect to be subject to Corporate AMT in 2023.
The following chart provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending valuation allowances for the six months ended June 30, 2023:
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of year
$
2,800
Additions to valuation allowance charged to income tax expense
74
Releases to valuation allowance credited to income tax benefit
(4)
Foreign currency translation
(1)
Additions to valuation allowance due to NJOY Transaction (no impact to earnings)
12
Reductions to valuation allowance offset to deferred tax asset (no impact to earnings)
(663)
Balance at end of period
$
2,218
We determine deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities, using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. We record a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. We determine the realizability of deferred tax assets based on the weight of all available positive and negative evidence. In reaching this determination, we consider the character of the assets and the possible sources of taxable income of the appropriate character within the available carryback and carryforward periods available under the tax law.
For the six months ended June 30, 2023, we reduced the deferred tax asset and corresponding valuation allowance for the portion of our JUUL capital losses that is now part of our tax basis in the shares of a foreign subsidiary. This outside basis difference of the foreign subsidiary is not recognized as a deferred tax asset since we do not expect the temporary difference to reverse in the foreseeable future. The cumulative valuation allowance at June 30, 2023 was primarily attributable to deferred tax assets recorded in connection with the portion of our JUUL capital losses that is now included in our tax basis in the shares of a domestic subsidiary and our investment in Cronos.
Note 13. Contingencies
Legal proceedings covering a wide range of matters are pending or threatened in various United States and foreign jurisdictions against Altria and certain of our subsidiaries, including PM USA and USSTC, as well as our indemnitees. Various types of claims may be raised in these proceedings, including product liability, unfair trade practices, antitrust, income tax liability,
contraband shipments, patent infringement, employment matters, claims alleging violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), claims for contribution and claims of competitors, shareholders or distributors. Legislative action, such as changes to tort law, also may expand the types of claims and remedies available to plaintiffs.
Litigation is subject to uncertainty and it is possible that there could be adverse developments in pending or future cases. An unfavorable outcome or settlement of pending tobacco-related or other litigation could encourage the commencement of additional litigation. Damages claimed in some tobacco-related and other litigation are or can be significant and, in certain cases, have ranged in the billions of dollars. The variability in pleadings in multiple jurisdictions, together with the actual experience of management in litigating claims, demonstrates that the monetary relief that may be specified in a lawsuit bears little relevance to the ultimate outcome. In certain cases, plaintiffs claim that defendants’ liability is joint and several. In such cases, we may face the risk that one or more co-defendants decline or otherwise fail to participate in the bonding required for an appeal or to pay their proportionate or jury-allocated share of a judgment. As a result, under certain circumstances, we may have to pay more than our proportionate share of any bonding- or judgment-related amounts. Furthermore, in those cases where plaintiffs are successful, we also may be required to pay interest and attorneys’ fees.
Although PM USA has historically been able to obtain required bonds or relief from bonding requirements in order to prevent plaintiffs from seeking to collect judgments while adverse verdicts have been appealed, there remains a risk that such relief may not be obtainable in all cases. This risk has been substantially reduced given that 47 states and Puerto Rico limit the dollar amount of bonds or require no bond at all. As discussed below, however, tobacco litigation plaintiffs have challenged the constitutionality of Florida’s bond cap statute in several cases and plaintiffs may challenge state bond cap statutes in other jurisdictions as well. Such challenges may include the applicability of state bond caps in federal court. States, including Florida, also may seek to repeal or alter bond cap statutes through legislation. Although we cannot predict the outcome of such challenges, it is possible that our condensed consolidated results of operations, cash flows or financial position could be materially affected in a particular fiscal quarter or fiscal year by an unfavorable outcome of one or more such challenges.
We record provisions in our condensed consolidated financial statements for pending litigation when we determine that an unfavorable outcome is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. At the present time, while it is reasonably possible that an unfavorable outcome in a case may occur, except to the extent discussed elsewhere in this Note 13. Contingencies: (i) management has concluded that it is not probable that a loss has been incurred in any of the pending cases; (ii) management is unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss that could result from an unfavorable outcome in any of the pending cases; and (iii) accordingly, management has not provided any amounts in our condensed consolidated financial statements for unfavorable outcomes, if any. Litigation defense costs are expensed as incurred.
We have achieved substantial success in managing litigation. Nevertheless, litigation is subject to uncertainty and significant challenges remain. It is possible that our condensed consolidated results of operations, cash flows or financial position could be materially affected in a particular fiscal quarter or fiscal year by an unfavorable outcome or settlement of certain pending litigation. We believe, and have been so advised by counsel handling the respective cases, that we have valid defenses to the litigation pending against us, as well as valid bases for appeal of adverse verdicts. We have defended, and will continue to defend, vigorously against litigation challenges. However, we may enter into settlement discussions in particular cases if we believe it is in our best interests to do so.
Judgments Paid and Provisions for Tobacco and Health (Including Engle Progeny Litigation) and Certain Other Litigation Items: The changes in our accrued liability for tobacco and health and certain other litigation items, including related interest costs, for the periods specified below are as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Accrued liability for tobacco and health and certain other litigation items at beginning of period
$
71
$
91
$
171
$
—
Pre-tax charges for:
Tobacco and health and certain other litigation (1)
52
50
40
38
Shareholder derivative lawsuits (2)
98
7
—
7
JUUL-related settlements (3)
240
—
240
—
Related interest costs
11
1
10
1
Payments
(91)
(124)
(80)
(21)
Accrued liability for tobacco and health and certain other litigation items at end of period
$
381
$
25
$
381
$
25
(1) Includes judgments, settlements and fee disputes associated with tobacco and health and certain other litigation.
(2) See Shareholder Class Action and Shareholder Derivative Lawsuits - Federal and State Shareholder Derivative Lawsuits below for a discussion of the settlement of the federal and state shareholder derivative lawsuits.
(3) Includes the settlement of certain e-vapor product litigation relating to JUUL e-vapor products and the e-vapor product litigation brought by the Minnesota attorney general. See E-vapor Product Litigation below for a discussion of these settlements.
The accrued liability for tobacco and health and certain other litigation items, including related interest costs, was included in accrued liabilities and other liabilities on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Pre-tax charges for tobacco and health and certain other litigation were included in marketing, administration and research costs on our condensed consolidated statements of earnings. Pre-tax charges for related interest costs were included in interest and other debt expense, net on our condensed consolidated statements of earnings.
After exhausting all appeals in those cases resulting in adverse verdicts associated with tobacco-related litigation, since October 2004, PM USA has paid judgments and settlements (including related costs and fees) totaling approximately $1 billion and interest totaling approximately $241 million as of June 30, 2023. These amounts include payments for Engle progeny judgments (and related costs and fees) totaling approximately $438 million and related interest totaling approximately $60 million.
Security for Judgments: To obtain stays of judgments pending appeal, PM USA has posted various forms of security. As of June 30, 2023, PM USA has posted appeal bonds totaling approximately $34 million, which have been collateralized with restricted cash and are included in assets on our condensed consolidated balance sheets.
Overview of Tobacco-Related Litigation
Types and Number of U.S. Cases: Claims related to tobacco products generally fall within the following categories: (i) smoking and health cases alleging personal injury brought on behalf of individual plaintiffs; (ii) health care cost recovery cases brought by governmental (both domestic and foreign) plaintiffs seeking reimbursement for health care expenditures allegedly caused by cigarette smoking and/or disgorgement of profits; (iii) e-vapor cases alleging violation of RICO, fraud, failure to warn, design defect, negligence, antitrust, patent infringement and unfair trade practices; and (iv) other tobacco-related litigation described below. Plaintiffs’ theories of recovery and the defenses raised in tobacco-related litigation are discussed below.
The table below lists the number of certain tobacco-related cases pending in the United States against us as of:
July 27, 2023
July 25, 2022
July 26, 2021
Individual Smoking and Health Cases (1)
171
162
169
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions (2)
1
1
1
E-vapor Cases (3)
5,326
4,030
2,626
Other Tobacco-Related Cases (4)
3
3
3
(1) Includes as of July 27, 2023, 18 cases filed in Illinois, 18 cases filed in New Mexico, 52 cases filed in Massachusetts and 46 non-Engle cases filed in Florida. Does not include individual smoking and health cases brought by or on behalf of plaintiffs in Florida state and federal courts following the decertification of the Engle class (these Engle progeny cases are discussed below in Smoking and Health Litigation - Engle Class Action). Also does not include 1,390 cases brought by flight attendants seeking compensatory damages for personal injuries allegedly caused by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (“ETS”). The flight attendants allege that they are members of an ETS smoking and health class action in Florida, which was settled in 1997 (Broin). The terms of the court-approved settlement in that case allowed class members to file individual lawsuits seeking compensatory damages but prohibited them from seeking punitive damages. Class members were prohibited from filing individual lawsuits after 2000 under the court-approved settlement.
(2) See Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation - Federal Government’s Lawsuit below.
(3) Includes as of July 27, 2023, 57 class action lawsuits, 3,736 individual lawsuits and 1,506 “third party” lawsuits relating to the Multidistrict Litigation discussed under E-vapor Product Litigation below. The 57 class action lawsuits include 32 cases in the Northern District of California involving plaintiffs whose claims were previously included in other class action complaints but were refiled as separate stand-alone class actions for procedural and other reasons. In May 2023, we reached agreement on terms to resolve the majority of the Multidistrict Litigation lawsuits. Also includes three patent infringement lawsuits filed against us and certain of our affiliates. For further discussion of the pending Multidistrict Litigation settlement and patent infringement litigation, see E-vapor Product Litigation below.
(4) Includes as of July 27, 2023, one inactive smoking and health case alleging personal injury and purporting to be brought on behalf of a class of individual plaintiffs and two inactive class action lawsuits alleging that use of the terms “Lights” and “Ultra Lights” constitute deceptive and unfair trade practices, common law or statutory fraud, unjust enrichment, breach of warranty or violations of RICO.
International Tobacco-Related Cases: As of July 27, 2023, (i) Altria is named as a defendant in three e-vapor class action lawsuits in Canada; (ii) PM USA is a named defendant in 10 health care cost recovery actions in Canada, eight of which also name Altria as a defendant; and (iii) PM USA and Altria are named as defendants in seven smoking and health class actions filed in various Canadian provinces. See Guarantees and Other Similar Matters below for a discussion of the Distribution Agreement (defined below) between Altria and PMI that provides for indemnities for certain liabilities concerning tobacco products.
Tobacco-Related Cases Set for Trial: As of July 27, 2023, twoEngle progeny cases, three individual smoking and health cases and no e-vapor cases are set for trial through September 30, 2023. Trial dates are subject to change.
Trial Results: Since January 1999, excluding the Engle progeny cases (separately discussed below), verdicts have been returned in 76 tobacco-related cases in which PM USA was a defendant. Verdicts in favor of PM USA and other defendants were returned in 47 of the 76 cases. These 47 cases were tried in Alaska (1), California (7), Connecticut (1), Florida (10), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (6), Mississippi (1), Missouri (4), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (1), New Jersey (1), New York (5), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (2), Rhode Island (1), Tennessee (2) and West Virginia (2). One case in Massachusetts, Main, where the verdict was initially returned in favor of PM USA, was reversed on appeal and remanded for a new trial.
Of the 29 non-Engle progeny cases in which verdicts were returned in favor of plaintiffs, 25 have reached final resolution.
See Smoking and Health Litigation - Engle Progeny Trial Results below for a discussion of verdicts in state and federal Engle progeny cases involving PM USA as of July 27, 2023.
Smoking and Health Litigation
Overview: Plaintiffs’ allegations of liability in smoking and health cases are based on various theories of recovery, including negligence, gross negligence, strict liability, fraud, misrepresentation, design defect, failure to warn, nuisance, breach of express and implied warranties, breach of special duty, conspiracy, concert of action, violations of unfair trade practice laws and consumer protection statutes and claims under the federal and state anti-racketeering statutes. Plaintiffs in the smoking and health cases seek various forms of relief, including compensatory and punitive damages, treble/multiple damages and other statutory damages and penalties, creation of medical monitoring and smoking cessation funds, disgorgement of profits, and injunctive and equitable relief. Defenses raised in these cases include lack of proximate cause, assumption of the risk, comparative fault and/or contributory negligence, statutes of limitations and preemption by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act.
Non-Engle Progeny Litigation: Summarized below are the non-Engle progeny smoking and health cases pending during 2023 (or recently concluded) in which a verdict was returned in favor of plaintiff and against PM USA. Charts listing certain verdicts for plaintiffs in the Engle progeny cases can be found in Smoking and Health Litigation - Engle Progeny Trial Results below.
Deswert: In May 2023, a jury in a Pennsylvania state court returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff and against PM USA, awarding less than $1 million in compensatory damages and allocating 50% of the fault to PM USA. Despite the comparative fault, the compensatory damages award will not be reduced due to the jury’s finding of strict liability on the part of PM USA. Plaintiff’s claim for punitive damages was dismissed prior to the trial. In lieu of appealing the trial court’s verdict, we settled plaintiff’s claims in July 2023 and recorded a pre-tax charge of less than $1 million in the third quarter of 2023.
Woodley:In February 2023, a jury in a Massachusetts state court returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff and against PM USA, awarding $5 million in compensatory damages. There was no claim for punitive damages. Following the denial of PM USA’s post-trial motions, PM USA appealed the judgment to the Appeals Court of Massachusetts, and the appeal remains pending.
Fontaine:In September 2022, a jury in a Massachusetts state court returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff and against PM USA, awarding approximately $8 million in compensatory damages and $1 billion in punitive damages. We have filed post-trial motions challenging the award and will, if necessary, appeal.
Greene: In September 2019, a jury in a Massachusetts state court returned a verdict in favor of plaintiffs and against PM USA, awarding approximately $10 million in compensatory damages. In May 2020, the court ruled on plaintiffs’ remaining claim and trebled the compensatory damages award to approximately $30 million. In February 2021, the trial court awarded plaintiffs attorneys’ fees and costs in the amount of approximately $2.3 million. PM USA appealed the judgment, and, in May 2023, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the trial court judgment and orders denying PM USA’s post-trial motions, concluding the case. We recorded a pre-tax charge of approximately $48 million and paid the recorded amount in the second quarter of 2023.
Federal Government’s Lawsuit:See Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation - Federal Government’s Lawsuit below for a discussion of the verdict and post-trial developments in the United States of America health care cost recovery case.
Engle Class Action: In July 2000, in the second phase of the Engle smoking and health class action in Florida, a jury returned a verdict assessing punitive damages totaling approximately $145 billion against various defendants, including $74 billion against PM USA. Following entry of judgment, PM USA appealed. In May 2003, the Florida Third District Court of Appeal reversed the judgment entered by the trial court and instructed the trial court to order the decertification of the class. Plaintiffs petitioned the Florida Supreme Court for further review.
In July 2006, the Florida Supreme Court ordered that the punitive damages award be vacated, that the class approved by the trial court be decertified and that members of the decertified class could file individual actions against defendants within one year of issuance of the mandate. The court further declared the following Phase I findings are entitled to res judicata effect in such individual actions brought within one year of the issuance of the mandate: (i) that smoking causes various diseases; (ii) that nicotine in cigarettes is addictive; (iii) that defendants’ cigarettes were defective and unreasonably dangerous; (iv) that defendants concealed or omitted material information not otherwise known or available knowing that the material was false or misleading or failed to disclose a material fact concerning the health effects or addictive nature of smoking; (v) that defendants agreed to misrepresent information regarding the health effects or addictive nature of cigarettes with the intention of causing the public to rely on this information to their detriment; (vi) that defendants agreed to conceal or omit information regarding the health effects of cigarettes or their addictive nature with the intention that smokers would rely on the information to their detriment; (vii) that all defendants sold or supplied cigarettes that were defective; and (viii) that defendants were negligent.
In August 2006, PM USA and plaintiffs sought rehearing from the Florida Supreme Court on parts of its July 2006 opinion. In December 2006, the Florida Supreme Court refused to revise its July 2006 ruling, except that it revised the set of Phase I findings entitled to res judicata effect by excluding finding (v) listed above (relating to agreement to misrepresent information), and added the finding that defendants sold or supplied cigarettes that, at the time of sale or supply, did not conform to the representations of fact made by defendants. In February 2008, the trial court decertified the class.
Pending Engle Progeny Cases: The deadline for filing Engle progeny cases expired in January 2008, at which point a total of approximately 9,300 federal and state claims were pending. As of July 27, 2023, approximately 461 state court cases were pending against PM USA or Altria asserting individual claims by or on behalf of approximately 599 state court plaintiffs. Because of a number of factors, including docketing delays, duplicated filings and overlapping dismissal orders, these numbers are estimates. The 2015 federal Engle agreement resolved nearly all Engle progeny cases pending in federal court as of the date of the agreement, and each case excluded from that agreement subsequently has been resolved.
Engle Progeny Trial Results: As of July 27, 2023, 144 federal and state Engle progeny cases involving PM USA have resulted in verdicts since the Florida Supreme Court Engle decision. Seventy-eight verdicts were returned in favor of plaintiffs, and four verdicts (Calloway, Oshinsky-Blacker,McCoy and Mahfuz) that were initially returned in favor of plaintiffs were reversed post-trial or on appeal and remain pending. In Kaplan (McLaughlin), the punitive damages award was vacated on appeal and remanded for a new trial. In Sommers, plaintiff appealed a jury verdict awarding only compensatory damages. The Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the award and remanded for a new trial on entitlement to punitive damages and amount. On
remand, the trial court granted PM USA’s motion for summary judgment and entered final judgment dismissing the plaintiff’s punitive damages claim with prejudice, and plaintiff has appealed.
Fifty-nine verdicts were returned in favor of PM USA, of which 49 were state cases. In addition, there have been a number of mistrials, only some of which have resulted in new trials as of July 27, 2023. The jury in one case, Garcia, awarded plaintiff compensatory damages and found plaintiff was entitled to punitive damages; however, the court declared a mistrial in the second phase of the trial regarding punitive damages because the jury was unable to determine the amount of the punitive damages. Following appeals by the plaintiff and PM USA, the appellate court in Garcia affirmed the compensatory damages judgment against PM USA and granted a new trial with respect to punitive damages. The plaintiff in Garcia subsequently filed a motion to voluntarily dismiss the punitive damages claim and to enter final judgment on the compensatory damages claim, which the court granted. Three verdicts (Cohen, Collar and Chacon) that were returned in favor of PM USA were subsequently reversed for new trials. Juries in two cases (Reider and Banks) returned zero damages verdicts in favor of PM USA. Juries in two other cases (Weingart and Hancock) returned verdicts against PM USA awarding no damages, but the trial court in each case decided to award plaintiffs damages. Two cases, Pollari and Neff, resulted in verdicts in favor of PM USA following a retrial of initial verdicts returned in favor of plaintiff. In Pollari, plaintiff and defendants appealed the verdict and the appellate court affirmed the judgment in favor of the defendants. In Neff, plaintiff filed a motion for a new trial, which is pending. Three cases, Gloger, Rintoul (Caprio) and Duignan, resulted in verdicts in favor of plaintiffs following retrial of initial verdicts returned in favor of plaintiffs. In Duignan, plaintiff’s motion for a rehearing with respect to the appellate court’s decision reversing the judgment against defendants on certain claims, vacating the punitive damages judgment and reducing the compensatory damages judgment based on plaintiff’s comparative fault remains pending. The verdicts in the retrials in Gloger and Rintoul (Caprio) were reversed upon appeal and remanded for new trials. Two cases, Freeman and Harris, resulted in an appellate reversal of a jury verdict in favor of plaintiff, and a judgment in favor of PM USA. One case, R. Douglas, was dismissed with prejudice following a verdict in favor of plaintiff.
The charts below list the verdicts and post-trial developments in certain Engle progeny cases in which verdicts were returned in favor of plaintiffs. The first chart lists cases that are pending as of July 27, 2023 where PM USA has determined an unfavorable outcome is not probable and the amount of loss cannot be reasonably estimated, and the second chart lists cases that have concluded in the past 12 months. Unless otherwise noted for a particular case, the jury’s award for compensatory damages will not be reduced by any finding of plaintiff’s comparative fault. Further, the damages noted reflect adjustments based on post-trial or appellate rulings.
References below to “R.J. Reynolds,” “Lorillard” and “Liggett Group” are to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Lorillard Tobacco Company and Liggett Group, LLC, respectively.
Currently Pending Engle Cases with Verdicts Against PM USA
(rounded to nearest $ million)
Plaintiff
Verdict Date
Defendant(s)
Court
Compensatory Damages (1)
Punitive Damages (PM USA)
Post-Trial Status
Hoffman
January 2023
PM USA
Miami-Dade
$5 million ($3 million PM USA)
$0
Appeal by defendant to Third District Court of Appeal pending.
Levine
September 2022
PM USA and R.J. Reynolds
Miami-Dade
$1 million
$0
Appeals by defendants and plaintiff to the Third District Court of Appeal pending.
Schertzer
April 2022
PM USA and R.J. Reynolds
Miami-Dade
$3 million
$0
Appeal by defendants to the Third District Court of Appeal pending.
Lipp
September 2021
PM USA
Miami-Dade
$15 million
$28 million
Appeal by defendant to the Third District Court of Appeal pending.
Garcia
May 2021
PM USA
Miami-Dade
$6 million ($3 million PM USA)
$0
Appeal by defendant to the Third District Court of Appeal pending.
Duignan
February 2020 (2)
PM USA and R.J. Reynolds
Pinellas
$3 million ($1 million PM USA)
$0
The Second District Court of Appeal vacated the final judgment entered in plaintiff’s favor following retrial, vacated the punitive damages judgment, directed the trial court to apply the jury’s comparative fault assessments to the compensatory damages verdict and ordered the trial court to set aside the jury’s findings on plaintiff’s fraud claims. In June 2023, plaintiff filed a motion for reconsideration, which is pending.
New trial on punitive damages is set for September 2023.
Chadwell
September 2018
PM USA
Miami-Dade
$2 million
$0
Third District Court of Appeal has received supplemental briefing in accordance with the decision in Prentice (3).
Kaplan (McLaughlin)
July 2018
PM USA and R.J. Reynolds
Broward
$2 million
$0
Florida Supreme Court vacated the punitive damages award in accordance with the decision in Sheffield (3). The Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the compensatory damages award and granted a new trial on punitive damages.
Cooper (Blackwood)
September 2015
PM USA and R.J. Reynolds
Broward
$5 million
(<$1 million PM USA)
$0
Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the compensatory damages award and granted a new trial on punitive damages.
(1) PM USA’s portion of the compensatory damages award is noted parenthetically where the court has ruled that comparative fault applies.
(2) Plaintiff’s verdict following a retrial of an initial verdict in favor of plaintiff.
(3) PM USA is not a defendant in Prentice or Sheffield, which are discussed below in Engle Progeny Appellate Issues.
Engle Cases Concluded Within Past 12 Months
(rounded to nearest $ million)
Plaintiff
Verdict Date
Defendant(s)
Court
Accrual Date
Payment Amount for Damages (if any)
Payment Date
Miller
September 2022
PM USA and R.J. Reynolds
Miami-Dade
Third quarter of 2022
<$1 million
December 2022
Tuttle
August 2022
PM USA
Duval
Third quarter of 2022
<$1 million
October 2022
Cuddihee
January 2020
PM USA
Duval
Second quarter of 2022
$2 million
June 2022
Holliman
February 2019
PM USA
Miami-Dade
Fourth quarter of 2022
$3 million
January 2023
D. Brown
January 2015
PM USA
Federal Court - Middle District of Florida
Third quarter of 2022
$5 million
August 2022
Engle Progeny Appellate Issues: Appellate decisions in the following Engle progeny cases may have wide application to other Engle progeny cases:
In Mary Sheffield v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, an Engle progeny case against R.J. Reynolds only, the Florida Supreme Court resolved a conflict among Florida’s District Courts of Appeal finding that the 1999 amendments to Florida’s punitive damages statute (including its caps and bar on multiple punitive damages awards for the same course of conduct) apply in wrongful death cases where the decedent was injured prior to the October 1, 1999 effective date of the amendments but died from his or her injuries after such effective date.
In Linda Prentice v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, an Engle progeny case against R.J. Reynolds only, the Florida Supreme Court resolved a conflict among Florida’s District Courts of Appeal finding that in order for an Engle plaintiff to prevail on fraudulent concealment and conspiracy claims, plaintiff must prove that the smoker relied to his or her detriment on a statement that concealed or omitted material information about the health risks or addictiveness of smoking. The Florida Supreme Court declined to revisit its prior decisions giving preclusive effect to the Engle Phase I findings, described above in Engle Class Action.
Florida Bond Statute: In June 2009, Florida amended its existing bond cap statute by adding a $200 million bond cap that applies to all state Engle progeny lawsuits in the aggregate and establishes individual bond caps for individual Engle progeny cases in amounts that vary depending on the number of judgments in effect at a given time. Plaintiffs have been unsuccessful in various challenges to the bond cap statute in Florida state court.
No federal court has yet addressed the constitutionality of the bond cap statute or the applicability of the bond cap to Engle progeny cases tried in federal court.
From time to time, legislation has been presented to the Florida legislature that would repeal the bond cap statute; however to date, no legislation repealing the statute has passed.
Other Smoking and Health Class Actions: Since the dismissal in May 1996 of a purported nationwide class action brought on behalf of allegedly addicted smokers, plaintiffs have filed numerous putative smoking and health class action suits in various state and federal courts. In general, these cases have purported to be brought on behalf of residents of a particular state or states (although a few cases have purported to be nationwide in scope) and have raised addiction claims and, in many cases, claims of physical injury as well.
Class certification has been denied or reversed by courts in 61 smoking and health class actions involving PM USA in Arkansas (1), California (1), Delaware (1), the District of Columbia (2), Florida (2), Illinois (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (1), Louisiana (1), Maryland (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (1), Nevada (29), New Jersey (6), New York (2), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (1), Puerto Rico (1), South Carolina (1), Texas (1) and Wisconsin (1). See Certain Other Tobacco-Related Litigation below for a discussion of “Lights” and “Ultra Lights” class action cases and medical monitoring class action cases pending against PM USA.
As of July 27, 2023, PM USA and Altria are named as defendants, along with other cigarette manufacturers, in seven class actions filed in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Ontario. In Saskatchewan, British Columbia (two separate cases) and Ontario, plaintiffs seek class certification on behalf of individuals who suffer or have suffered from various diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, heart disease or cancer, after smoking defendants’ cigarettes. In the actions filed in Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia, plaintiffs seek certification of classes of all individuals who smoked defendants’ cigarettes. In March 2019, all of these class actions were stayed as a result of three Canadian tobacco manufacturers (none of which is related to us) seeking protection under Canada’s Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (which is similar to Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States). The companies entered into these proceedings following a Canadian appellate court upholding two smoking and health class action verdicts against those companies totaling approximately CAD $13 billion. See Guarantees and Other Similar Matters below for a discussion of the Distribution Agreement between Altria and PMI, which provides for indemnities for certain liabilities concerning tobacco products.
Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation
Overview: In the health care cost recovery litigation, governmental entities seek reimbursement of health care cost expenditures allegedly caused by tobacco products and, in some cases, of future expenditures and damages. Relief sought by some but not all plaintiffs includes punitive damages, multiple damages and other statutory damages and penalties, injunctions prohibiting alleged marketing and sales to minors, disclosure of research, disgorgement of profits, funding of anti-smoking programs, additional disclosure of nicotine yields, and payment of attorney and expert witness fees.
Although there have been some decisions to the contrary, most judicial decisions in the United States have dismissed all or most health care cost recovery claims against cigarette manufacturers. Nine federal circuit courts of appeals and eight state appellate courts, relying primarily on grounds that plaintiffs’ claims were too remote, have ordered or affirmed dismissals of health care cost recovery actions. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to consider plaintiffs’ appeals from the cases decided by five federal circuit courts of appeal.
In addition to the cases brought in the United States, health care cost recovery actions have also been brought against tobacco industry participants, including PM USA and Altria, in Canada (10 cases), and other entities have stated that they are considering filing such actions.
Since the beginning of 2008, the Canadian Provinces of British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia have brought health care reimbursement claims against cigarette manufacturers. PM USA is named as a defendant in the British Columbia and Quebec cases, while both Altria and PM USA are named as defendants in the New Brunswick, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia cases. The Nunavut Territory and Northwest Territory have passed legislation permitting similar claims, but lawsuits based on this legislation have not been filed. All of these cases have been stayed pending resolution of proceedings in Canada involving three tobacco manufacturers (none of which are affiliated with us) under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act discussed above. See Smoking and Health Litigation - Other Smoking and Health Class Actions above for a discussion of these proceedings. See Guarantees and Other Similar Matters below for a discussion of the Distribution Agreement between Altria and PMI that provides for indemnities for certain liabilities concerning tobacco products.
Settlements of Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation: In November 1998, PM USA and certain other tobacco product manufacturers entered into the Master Settlement Agreement (the “MSA”) with 46 states, the District of Columbia and certain United States territories to settle asserted and unasserted health care cost recovery and other claims. PM USA and certain other tobacco product manufacturers had previously entered into agreements to settle similar claims brought by Mississippi, Florida,
Texas and Minnesota (together with the MSA, the “State Settlement Agreements”). The State Settlement Agreements require that the original participating manufacturers or “OPMs” (now PM USA, R.J. Reynolds and, with respect to certain brands, ITG Brands, LLC (“ITG”)) make annual payments of approximately $9.4 billion, subject to adjustments for several factors, including inflation, market share and industry volume. In addition, the OPMs are required to pay settling plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees, subject to an annual cap of $500 million; these quarterly payments are expected to end in 2024. For the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, the aggregate amount recorded in cost of sales with respect to the State Settlement Agreements was approximately $1 billion for each period. For the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, the aggregate amount recorded in cost of sales with respect to the State Settlement Agreements was approximately $1.9 billion for each period. These amounts include PM USA’s estimate of amounts related to NPM Adjustments discussed below.
NPM Adjustment Disputes: The “NPM Adjustment” is a reduction in MSA payments made by the OPMs and those manufacturers that are subsequent signatories to the MSA (collectively, the “participating manufacturers” or “PMs”) that applies if the PMs collectively lose at least a specified level of market share to non-participating manufacturers since 1997, subject to certain conditions and defenses.
The independent auditor (“IA”) appointed under the MSA has calculated that PM USA’s share of the maximum potential NPM Adjustments for 2004-2022 is (exclusive of interest or earnings): $388 million for 2004; $181 million for 2005; $154 million for 2006; $185 million for 2007; $250 million for 2008; $211 million for 2009; $218 million for 2010; $166 million for 2011; $214 million for 2012; $224 million for 2013; $258 million for 2014; $313 million for 2015; $292 million for 2016; $285 million for 2017; $318 million for 2018; $415 million for 2019; $572 million for 2020; $675 million for 2021; and $571 million for 2022. These maximum amounts will be substantially reduced to reflect the NPM Adjustment settlements discussed below, and potentially for current and future calculation disputes and other developments. PM USA’s recovery for 2004 is addressed below. In addition, PM USA’s recovery of such reduced amounts for all subsequent years will be dependent upon subsequent determinations regarding state-specific defenses and disputes with other PMs.
Settlements of NPM Adjustment Disputes.
▪Multi-State Settlement. By the end of 2018, a total of 36 MSA states and territories had entered the multi-state settlement of NPM Adjustment disputes to which PM USA is a party. Of these 36 states and territories, 35 entered settlement through 2022, and one state entered settlement through 2024. In March 2022, Illinois joined the multi-state settlement, settling the NPM Adjustment disputes through 2028 and bringing the total number of states and territories that have joined the multi-state settlement to 37. As a result, PM USA will receive approximately $80 million for 2004-2021 ($20 million of which relates to the 2019-2021 “transition years”). In connection with this development for Illinois, PM USA recorded $80 million as a reduction in cost of sales in the first quarter of 2022. Pursuant to the multi-state settlement, PM USA has received $1.24 billion since the first group of states entered the NPM Adjustment dispute settlement in 2014 and expects to receive approximately $325 million in credits to offset PM USA’s MSA payments through 2036.
▪New York Settlement. In 2015, PM USA entered into a separate NPM Adjustment settlement with New York in which PM USA settled the NPM Adjustment disputes with New York in perpetuity. PM USA has received $503 million pursuant to the New York settlement and expects to receive annual credits applied against the MSA payments due to New York going forward.
▪Montana Settlement. In 2020, PM USA entered into a separate NPM Adjustment settlement with Montana in which PM USA settled the NPM Adjustment disputes with Montana through 2030. This settlement resulted in a payment by PM USA of $4 million.
Continuing NPM Adjustment Disputes with States That Have Not Settled.
▪2004 NPM Adjustment. The PMs and the nine states that have not settled the NPM Adjustment disputes participated in a multi-state arbitration of NPM Adjustment disputes for 2004. A tenth state, Illinois, also participated in the arbitration, but joined the multi-state settlement after the arbitration panel issued its decisions described below. The arbitration panels issued decisions finding that three states, Missouri, New Mexico and Washington, were not diligent in their enforcement of their escrow statutes in 2004 and, therefore, are subject to the NPM adjustment for 2004. The arbitration panels further found that the remaining seven states were diligent in their enforcement and, therefore, are not subject to the NPM adjustment for 2004. PM USA received approximately $52 million on account of the 2004 NPM Adjustment as a credit against its April 2023 MSA payment. Washington, Missouri and New Mexico have challenged those determinations in their respective state courts and with the arbitration panels, and several issues remain to be resolved by the courts that may affect the final amount of the 2004 NPM adjustment PM USA and other PMs will receive. PM USA had recorded $21 million and $3 million as a reduction in cost of sales in the third quarter of 2021 and fourth quarter of 2022, respectively, for its estimate of the minimum principal amount of the 2004 NPM Adjustment it received. PM USA had recorded $23
million and $5 million as interest income in the third quarter of 2021 and fourth quarter of 2022, respectively, for its estimate of the interest amount it received in connection with the 2004 NPM Adjustment.
▪2005-2007 NPM Adjustments. The PMs and the nine states that have not settled the NPM Adjustment disputes are currently arbitrating NPM Adjustment disputes before a single arbitration panel. The arbitration encompasses three years, 2005-2007, for eight of the nine states, and one year, 2005, for one state. As of July 27, 2023, no decisions have resulted from the arbitration.
▪Subsequent Years. No assurance can be given as to when proceedings for 2008 and subsequent years will be scheduled or the precise form those proceedings will take.
▪In July 2022, the State of Iowa filed a motion in Iowa state court against the PMs, including PM USA, claiming that the PMs wrongfully disputed the applicability of NPM Adjustments to Iowa and that all adjustment amounts to date should have been paid to Iowa rather than deposited into the disputed payments account. A similar enforcement motion was filed by the State of New Mexico against the PMs, including PM USA, in November 2022. PM USA has placed certain disputed NPM Adjustment amounts attributed to Iowa and New Mexico in the disputed payments account established pursuant to the terms of the MSA. Iowa and New Mexico seek a total of approximately $133 million and $84 million, respectively, in disputed payments from all defendants combined, as well as treble and punitive damages, and other relief. The PMs filed a cross motion to compel arbitration in the Iowa matter. In February 2023, the Iowa state court granted the PM’s motion, compelling arbitration. In March 2023, Iowa withdrew its motion.
Other Disputes Under the State Settlement Agreements: The payment obligations of the tobacco product manufacturers that are parties to the State Settlement Agreements, as well as the allocations of any NPM Adjustments and related settlements, have been and may continue to be affected by R.J. Reynolds’s acquisition of Lorillard in 2015 and its related sale of certain cigarette brands to ITG (the “ITG transferred brands”). PM USA filed motions to enforce the State Settlement Agreements in Florida, Minnesota, Texas and Mississippi in connection with various positions that R.J. Reynolds and ITG took with regard to the ITG transferred brands. After various court decisions in each of those states that were favorable to PM USA, those motions to enforce have now been resolved either through settlement or exhaustion of appeals, although further proceedings may occur based on the resolution of certain outstanding litigation between R.J. Reynolds and ITG. In May 2022, PM USA filed a motion to compel arbitration under the MSA regarding certain positions that R.J. Reynolds and ITG took with regard to the ITG transferred brands. In June 2022, the matter was resolved through mutual agreement of the parties. PM USA continues to dispute how the ITG transferred brands are treated in allocating the NPM Adjustments under the MSA and related settlements and may pursue such claims.
In December 2019, the State of Mississippi filed a motion in Mississippi state court seeking to enforce the Mississippi State Settlement Agreement against PM USA, R.J. Reynolds and ITG concerning the tax rates used in the annual calculation of the net operating profit adjustment payments starting in 2018. The Mississippi state court held a hearing in October 2021 and issued a decision in June 2022 granting the State’s motion. Further proceedings remain outstanding, and a final judgment has not yet been issued.
In May 2023, PM USA and R.J. Reynolds filed a motion in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas seeking to enforce the Texas State Settlement Agreement against the State of Texas concerning the same tax rate issue raised by the State of Mississippi. The State of Texas filed a cross-motion to enforce, and the matter remains pending in the trial court.
In January 2021, PM USA and other PMs reached an agreement with several MSA states to waive the PMs’ claim under the most favored nation provision of the MSA in connection with a settlement between those MSA states and a non-participating manufacturer, S&M Brands, Inc. (“S&M Brands”), under which the states released certain claims against S&M Brands in exchange for receiving a portion of the funds S&M Brands deposited into escrow accounts in those states pursuant to the states’ escrow statutes. In consideration for waiving its most favored nation claim, PM USA received approximately $32 million from the escrow funds paid to those MSA states under their settlement with S&M Brands. These funds were received in January 2021 and were recorded in our condensed consolidated statement of earnings (losses) for the first quarter of 2021 as a reduction in cost of sales.
Federal Government’s Lawsuit: In 1999, the U.S. government filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against various cigarette manufacturers, including PM USA, and others, including Altria, asserting claims under three federal statutes. The case ultimately proceeded only under the civil provisions of RICO. In August 2006, the district court held that certain defendants, including Altria and PM USA, violated RICO and engaged in certain “sub-schemes” to defraud that the government had alleged.
The court did not impose monetary penalties on defendants, but ordered various types of non-monetary relief, including an injunction against conveying any express or implied health message or health descriptors on cigarette packaging or in cigarette advertising or promotional material, including “lights,” “ultra lights” and “low tar,” which the court found could cause consumers to believe one cigarette brand is less hazardous than another brand, and the issuance of “corrective statements” in various media regarding the adverse health effects of smoking, the addictiveness of smoking and nicotine, the lack of any
significant health benefit from smoking “low tar” or “light” cigarettes, defendants’ manipulation of cigarette design to ensure optimum nicotine delivery and the adverse health effects of exposure to ETS.
Corrective statements began appearing in newspapers and on television in the fourth quarter of 2017 and on websites in the second quarter of 2018, and the onserts began appearing in the fourth quarter of 2018. In December 2022, the district court entered a consent order approving a settlement with respect to corrective statements on point-of-sale signage.
In 2022, we recorded provisions totaling approximately $28 million for the estimated costs of implementing the corrective statements on point-of-sale signage remedy.
In June 2020, the U.S. government filed a motion with the district court asking for clarification as to whether the court-ordered injunction that applies to cigarettes discussed above also applies to HeatSticks, a heated tobacco product used with the IQOS System. In August 2020, we filed an opposition to the government’s motion and, in the alternative, a motion to modify the injunction to make clear it does not apply to HeatSticks. In July 2023, the district court ruled that HeatSticks are cigarettes subject to the court ordered injunction. The district court also ruled that PM USA can make FDA authorized reduced exposure claims about HeatSticks.
E-vapor Product Litigation
As of July 27, 2023, we are defendants in 57 class action lawsuits, 3,736 individual lawsuits and 1,506 “third party” lawsuits relating to JUUL e-vapor products, which include school districts, state and local governments and tribal and healthcare organization lawsuits. We refer to this litigation collectively as the “Multidistrict Litigation.” The 57 class action lawsuits include 32 cases involving plaintiffs whose claims were previously included in other class action complaints but were refiled as separate stand-alone class actions for procedural and other reasons. Three of the class action lawsuits are pending in Canada. The theories of recovery in the Multidistrict Litigation include violation of RICO, fraud, failure to warn, design defect, negligence and unfair trade practices. Plaintiffs seek various remedies, including compensatory and punitive damages, restitution or remediation (for plaintiffs that are government entities) and an injunction prohibiting product sales.
An additional group of cases is pending in California state courts. In January 2020, the Judicial Council of California determined that this group of cases was appropriate for coordination and assigned the group to the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County, for pretrial purposes.
In May 2023, we reached agreement on terms to resolve the majority of the Multidistrict Litigation lawsuits as well as the group of cases pending in a consolidated California state court proceeding for $235 million. The settlement applies to all of the Multidistrict Litigation except 35 “third party” cases brought by Native American tribes and the three class action lawsuits pending in Canada. The settlement also does not apply to the cases brought by the attorneys general of Alaska, Hawaii and New Mexico, discussed below, or 17 putative class actions antitrust lawsuits. For a description of the antitrust cases not subject to the settlement, see Antitrust Litigation below. The settlement remains subject to the parties entering into one or more final settlement agreements approved by the relevant courts.
Four of the “third party” lawsuits noted above against us and JUUL were initiated, individually, by the attorneys general of Alaska, Hawaii, Minnesota and New Mexico alleging violations of state consumer protection and other similar laws. We filed motions to dismiss the lawsuits. In Alaska, Hawaii and Minnesota, the motions were denied in February 2022, May 2021 and June 2021, respectively. Our motion to dismiss remains pending in New Mexico. In the Alaska lawsuit, although the trial court declined to dismiss most of the plaintiff’s claims, the trial court did dismiss plaintiff’s public nuisance claim. In April 2023, we agreed to settle the Minnesota lawsuit for an immaterial amount. The trial courts in the Alaska and Hawaii lawsuits have set the trials for April 2024 and February 2024, respectively. As of July 27, 2023, the trial court in New Mexico has not set a trial date.
In May 2023, Fuma International LLC filed a lawsuit against Altria and our affiliates Nu Mark LLC (“Nu Mark”), AGDC, ALCS and NJOY in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia asserting claims of patent infringement based on the sale of various Nu Mark and NJOY products, including NJOY ACE, in the United States. Plaintiff seeks various remedies, including permanent injunctive relief, treble damages and attorneys’ fees.
In June 2023, JUUL and VMR Products LLC filed a lawsuit against Altria and our affiliates AGDC, ALCS, NJOY Holdings and NJOY in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona asserting claims of patent infringement based on the sale of NJOY ACE in the United States. Plaintiffs seek various remedies, including damages and an injunction on sales of NJOY ACE.
Also in June 2023, the same plaintiffs filed a related action against the same defendants with the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”). There, the plaintiffs also allege patent infringement, but the remedies sought include a prohibition on the importation of NJOY ACE into the United States. No damages are recoverable in the proceedings before the ITC.
IQOS Litigation
In April 2020, RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc. and R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co., which are affiliates of R.J. Reynolds, filed a lawsuit against Altria, PM USA, ALCS, PMI and its affiliate, Philip Morris Products S.A., in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of Virginia asserting claims of patent infringement based on the sale of the IQOS System electronic device and Marlboro HeatSticks in the United States. Plaintiffs seek various remedies, including preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, treble damages and attorneys’ fees. Altria and PMI were previously dismissed from the lawsuit, and plaintiffs’ claims against the other defendants have been stayed.
PM USA, ALCS and Philip Morris Products S.A. filed counterclaims against plaintiffs in the Eastern District of Virginia lawsuit alleging patent infringement by R.J. Reynolds’ e-vapor products. In June 2022, PM USA and ALCS reached an agreement with R.J. Reynolds resulting in dismissal of their counterclaims. In addition, ALCS filed a separate lawsuit against R.J. Reynolds in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina also alleging patent infringement by R.J. Reynolds’ e-vapor products. In September 2022, a jury awarded ALCS $95 million in damages for past infringement, plus supplemental damages and interest. In January 2023, the court ordered R.J. Reynolds to pay ALCS a 5.25% royalty on future sales of its infringing product resulting in positive net income through the expiration of the relevant patents in 2035. R.J. Reynolds has filed a notice of appeal of the judgment. As gains related to this lawsuit have not yet been determined to be realized or realizable in accordance with GAAP, they have not been recognized in our financial statements for the six and three months ended June 30, 2023.
In April 2020, a related patent infringement action was filed against the same defendants by the same plaintiffs, as well as R.J. Reynolds, with the ITC, but the remedies sought included a prohibition on the importation of the IQOS System electronic device, Marlboro HeatSticks and component parts into the United States and on the sale of any such products previously imported into the United States. No damages are recoverable in the proceedings before the ITC. In September 2021, the ITC issued a limited exclusion order barring the importation of the IQOS System electronic device, Marlboro HeatSticks and the infringing components into the United States and a cease and desist order barring domestic sales, marketing and distribution of these imported products. The orders became effective on November 29, 2021. Consequently, PM USA removed the IQOS System electronic device and Marlboro HeatSticks from the marketplace. In December 2021, defendants appealed the orders to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and, in March 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued its decision affirming the ITC exclusion order in full.
In November 2020, Healthier Choices Management Corp. filed an additional unrelated patent infringement case in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against PM USA and Philip Morris Products S.A. seeking damages and equitable relief. In February 2021, defendants filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which the court granted in July 2021. In December 2021, the U.S. District Court denied plaintiff’s motion to amend the complaint and plaintiff appealed this ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which reversed the district court’s decision and remanded for further proceedings. The U.S. Patent Office has also issued a decision that the claims of the asserted patent are not valid, and the plaintiff has appealed that ruling.
Antitrust Litigation
In March 2023, we entered into a stock transfer agreement with JUUL pursuant to which, among other things, we transferred to JUUL all of our beneficially owned JUUL equity securities. See Note 5. Investments in Equity Securities for a discussion of our disposition of our investment in JUUL.
In April 2020, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued an administrative complaint against Altria and JUUL alleging that our 35% investment in JUUL and the associated agreements constitute an unreasonable restraint of trade in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 (“Sherman Act”) and Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914, and substantially lessened competition in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Antitrust Act (“Clayton Act”). In February 2022, the administrative law judge dismissed the FTC’s complaint and, also in February 2022, FTC complaint counsel appealed the administrative law judge’s decision to the FTC. In March 2023, following our disposition of our investment in JUUL, we filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. In June 2023, the FTC dismissed the action as no longer in the public interest.
Also as of July 27, 2023, 17 putative class action lawsuits have been filed against Altria and JUUL in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The lawsuits initially named, in addition to the two companies, certain senior executives and certain members of the board of directors of both companies as defendants; however, those individuals currently or formerly affiliated with Altria were later dismissed. In November 2020, these lawsuits were consolidated into three complaints (one on behalf of direct purchasers, one on behalf of indirect purchasers and one on behalf of indirect resellers). The consolidated lawsuits, as amended, cite the FTC administrative complaint and allege that Altria and JUUL violated Sections 1, 2 and/or 3 of the Sherman Act and Section 7 of the Clayton Act and various state antitrust, consumer protection and unjust enrichment laws by restraining trade and/or substantially lessening competition in the U.S. closed-system electronic cigarette market. Plaintiffs seek various remedies, including treble damages, attorneys’ fees, a declaration that the agreements between Altria and JUUL are invalid and rescission of the transaction. We filed a motion to dismiss these lawsuits in January 2021. In August 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California denied our motion to dismiss except with respect to plaintiffs’ claims for injunctive and equitable relief. However, plaintiffs were granted the opportunity to replead such claims by
the trial court, which plaintiffs did in September 2021. In January 2022, the trial court ordered that the direct-purchaser plaintiffs’ claims against JUUL be sent to arbitration pursuant to an arbitration provision in JUUL’s online purchase agreement. The court granted plaintiffs’ leave to replead the complaint with new direct-purchaser plaintiffs, which plaintiffs did in February 2022, substituting in four new plaintiffs. In August 2022, the court stayed all of the cases pending any appeal to the court of appeals from the FTC’s lawsuit against Altria and JUUL.
Shareholder Class Action and Shareholder Derivative Lawsuits
Shareholder Class Action: In October and December 2019, two purported Altria shareholders filed putative class action lawsuits against Altria, Howard A. Willard III, our former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and William F. Gifford, Jr., our former Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer and current Chief Executive Officer, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. In December 2019, the court consolidated the two lawsuits into a single proceeding. The consolidated lawsuit was subsequently transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The lawsuit asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) and under Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. In April 2020, JUUL, its founders and some of its current and former executives were added to the lawsuit. The claims alleged false and misleading statements and omissions relating to our former investment in JUUL. Plaintiffs sought various remedies, including damages and attorneys’ fees. In July 2020, the defendants filed motions to dismiss plaintiffs’ claims, which the district court denied in March 2021. In the fourth quarter of 2021, plaintiffs and defendants agreed upon a class action settlement under which, among other things, (i) all claims asserted against Altria and the other named defendants were resolved without any liability or wrongdoing attributed to them personally or to Altria and (ii) Altria agreed to pay the class an aggregate amount of $90 million, which amount includes attorneys’ fees. The class is defined to include persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired shares of Altria between October 25, 2018 through April 2, 2020, subject to certain exclusions. The trial court granted final approval of the settlement in March 2022. We recorded pre-tax provisions totaling $90 million in 2021 and, in January 2022, paid $90 million to plaintiffs’ escrow account.
Federal and State Shareholder Derivative Lawsuits:In August 2020, two purported Altria shareholders filed separate derivative lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of themselves and Altria, against Mr. Willard, Mr. Gifford, JUUL and certain of our executives and officers. These derivative lawsuits related to our former investment in JUUL, and asserted claims of breach of fiduciary duty by the Altria defendants and aiding and abetting in that alleged breach of fiduciary duty by the remaining defendants. In March 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted defendants’ motion to transfer both lawsuits to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Three additional federal derivative lawsuits were filed in October 2020, January 2021 and March 2021, respectively, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against Mr. Willard, Mr. Gifford, Mr. Crosthwaite (our former Chief Growth Officer and JUUL’s current Chief Executive Officer), certain members of our Board of Directors, JUUL, its founders and some of its current and former executives. These suits asserted various claims, including breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, waste of corporate assets and violations of certain federal securities laws. The remedies sought in these lawsuits included damages, disgorgement of profits, reformation of our corporate governance and internal procedures, and attorneys’ fees. In April 2021, the court consolidated the five cases pending in the Eastern District of Virginia into a single case.
Six derivative lawsuits have been filed in Virginia state courts against Mr. Willard, Mr. Gifford, Mr. Crosthwaite, certain members of our Board of Directors, JUUL, its founders and some of its current and former executives. The lawsuits were filed in September 2020, May 2021, June 2021, July 2021, August 2021 and August 2021, respectively. The lawsuits asserted various claims, including breach of fiduciary duty, and sought remedies similar to those sought by plaintiffs in the cases pending in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia. In successive orders from July 2021, September 2021 and January 2022, five of the six state derivative cases were consolidated into a single case.
In October 2022, plaintiffs and defendants in all the federal and state derivative cases agreed upon a settlement of these cases. Under the terms of the settlement, among other things, we agreed to provide $100 million in funding over a five-year period to underage tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which may include positive youth development programs, led by independent third-party organizations. We expect to begin funding in 2024. In 2022, we recorded pre-tax provisions totaling $27 million for costs associated with the independent monitoring of our funding commitments and attorneys’ fees. In January 2023, the federal trial court conducted a final approval hearing, at which the court sustained an objection to a provision of the settlement, but granted the parties additional time to resolve the issue. The parties subsequently executed an amendment to the settlement agreement, and the federal trial court granted final approval of the settlement in February 2023. No appeal was taken. In March 2023, pursuant to the terms of the settlement agreement, plaintiffs in the state derivative cases filed motions to dismiss their lawsuits, which the state courts granted. The settlement became effective in May 2023 upon the expiration of the deadline for any appeals of the dismissal orders. In the first quarter of 2023, we recorded pre-tax provisions totaling approximately $100 million related to the settlement, and in April 2023, paid $15 million to plaintiffs’ escrow account for attorneys’ fees.
“Lights/Ultra Lights” Cases and Other Smoking and Health Class Actions:Plaintiffs have sought certification of their cases as class actions, alleging among other things, that the uses of the terms “Lights” and/or “Ultra Lights” constitute deceptive and unfair trade practices, common law or statutory fraud, unjust enrichment or breach of warranty, and have sought injunctive and equitable relief, including restitution and, in certain cases, punitive damages. These class actions have been brought against PM USA and, in certain instances, Altria or our other subsidiaries, on behalf of individuals who purchased and consumed various brands of cigarettes. Defenses raised in these cases include lack of misrepresentation, lack of causation, injury and damages, the statute of limitations, non-liability under state statutory provisions exempting conduct that complies with federal regulatory directives, and the First Amendment. Twenty-one state courts in 23 “Lights” cases have refused to certify class actions, dismissed class action allegations, reversed prior class certification decisions or have entered judgment in favor of PM USA. As of July 27, 2023, two “Lights/Ultra Lights” class actions are pending in U.S. state courts. Neither case is active.
As of July 27, 2023, one smoking and health case alleging personal injury or seeking court-supervised programs or an ongoing medical monitoring program on behalf of individuals exposed to environmental tobacco smoke and purporting to be brought on behalf of a class of individual plaintiffs, is pending in a U.S. state court. The case is currently inactive.
UST Litigation: UST and/or its tobacco subsidiaries have been named in a number of individual tobacco and health lawsuits over time. Plaintiffs’ allegations of liability in these cases have been based on various theories of recovery, such as negligence, strict liability, fraud, misrepresentation, design defect, failure to warn, breach of implied warranty, addiction and breach of consumer protection statutes. Plaintiffs have typically sought various forms of relief, including compensatory and punitive damages, and certain equitable relief, including disgorgement. Defenses raised in these cases have included lack of causation, assumption of the risk, comparative fault and/or contributory negligence, and statutes of limitations. As of July 27, 2023, there is no such case pending against UST and/or its tobacco subsidiaries.
Environmental Regulation
Altria and our former subsidiaries are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations concerning the discharge of materials into the environment, or otherwise related to environmental protection, including, in the United States: the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (commonly known as “Superfund”), which can impose joint and several liability on each responsible party. Altria and our former subsidiaries are involved in several cost recovery/contribution cases subjecting them to potential costs of remediation and natural resource damages under Superfund or other laws and regulations. We expect to continue to make capital and other expenditures in connection with environmental laws and regulations.
We provide for expenses associated with environmental remediation obligations on an undiscounted basis when such amounts are probable and can be reasonably estimated. Such accruals are adjusted as new information develops or circumstances change. Other than those amounts, it is not possible to reasonably estimate the cost of any environmental remediation and compliance efforts that we may undertake in the future. In the opinion of our management, however, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, including the payment of any remediation costs or damages and the making of related expenditures, has not had, and is not expected to have, a material adverse effect on our condensed consolidated results of operations, capital expenditures, financial position or cash flows.
Guarantees and Other Similar Matters
In the ordinary course of business, we have agreed to indemnify a limited number of third parties in the event of future litigation. At June 30, 2023, we (i) had $46 million of unused letters of credit obtained in the ordinary course of business and (ii) were contingently liable for guarantees related to our own performance, including $19 million for surety bonds recorded on our condensed consolidated balance sheet. In addition, from time to time, we issue lines of credit to affiliated entities. These items have not had, and are not expected to have, a significant impact on our liquidity.
Under the terms of a distribution agreement between Altria and PMI (the “Distribution Agreement”), entered into as a result of our 2008 spin-off of our former subsidiary PMI, liabilities concerning tobacco products will be allocated based in substantial part on the manufacturer. PMI will indemnify Altria and PM USA for liabilities related to tobacco products manufactured by PMI or contract manufactured for PMI by PM USA, and PM USA will indemnify PMI for liabilities related to tobacco products manufactured by PM USA, excluding tobacco products contract manufactured for PMI. We do not have a related liability recorded on our condensed consolidated balance sheet at June 30, 2023 as the fair value of this indemnification is insignificant. PMI has agreed not to seek indemnification with respect to the IQOS System patent litigation discussed above under IQOS Litigation, excluding the patent infringement case filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
PM USA has issued guarantees relating to our obligations under our outstanding debt securities, borrowings under our $3.0 billion Credit Agreement and amounts outstanding under our commercial paper program. For further discussion, see Note 11. Debt.
The following table provides a description of issued accounting guidance applicable to, but not yet adopted by, us:
Standards
Description
Effective Date for Public Entity
Effect on Financial Statements
ASU 2022-03 Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions
The guidance clarifies that a contractual restriction on the sale of an equity security is not considered part of the unit of account of the equity security and, therefore, is not considered in measuring fair value. The amendments also specify required disclosures for equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions.
The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2023.
We do not expect our adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
When used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (“Form 10-Q”), the terms “Altria,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to either (i) Altria Group, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries or (ii) Altria Group, Inc. only and not its consolidated subsidiaries, as appropriate in the context.
In this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) section, we refer to the following “adjusted” financial measures: adjusted operating companies income (loss) (“OCI”); adjusted OCI margins; adjusted net earnings; adjusted diluted earnings per share (“EPS”); and adjusted effective tax rates. We also refer to the ratio of debt-to-Consolidated EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, as defined in our Credit Agreement, which includes certain adjustments). These financial measures are not required by, or calculated in accordance with, United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and may not be calculated the same as similarly titled measures used by other companies. These financial measures should thus be considered as supplemental in nature and not considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. For a further description of these non-GAAP financial measures, see the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section below.
Executive Summary
Our Business
We have a leading portfolio of tobacco products for U.S. tobacco consumers age 21+. Our Vision is to responsibly lead the transition of adult smokers to a smoke-free future (“Vision”). We are Moving Beyond Smoking™, leading the way in moving adult smokers away from cigarettes by taking action to transition millions to potentially less harmful choices - believing it is a substantial opportunity for adult tobacco consumers, our businesses and society.
As we execute on our Vision, we established our 2028 Enterprise Goals (“2028 Goals”) to provide our investors with specific metrics to measure our progress. Our 2028 Goals are:
Corporate
▪Deliver mid-single digits adjusted diluted EPS growth on a compounded annual basis through 2028;
▪Maintain a new progressive dividend goal targeting mid-single digits dividend growth annually through 2028;
▪Target a debt-to-Consolidated EBITDA ratio of approximately 2.0x;
▪Maintain our leadership position in the U.S. tobacco space; and
▪Maintain a total adjusted OCI margin of at least 60% in each of the next five years while investing behind innovative smoke-free products.
U.S. Smoke-Free Portfolio
▪Grow U.S. smoke-free volumes by at least 35% from our 2022 base of 800 million units by 2028; and
▪Approximately double our U.S. smoke-free net revenues to $5 billion by 2028 from our 2022 base of $2.6 billion, with $2 billion sourced from innovative smoke-free products.
Long-Term Growth
▪Develop a strategy by the first half of 2024 to compete in the international innovative smoke-free and non-nicotine categories.
See Operating Results by Business Segment and Liquidity and Capital Resources for additional information on total adjusted OCI margin and debt-to-Consolidated EBITDA, respectively.
Our wholly owned subsidiaries include leading manufacturers of both combustible and smoke-free products. In combustibles, we own Philip Morris USA Inc. (“PM USA”), the most profitable U.S. cigarette manufacturer, and John Middleton Co. (“Middleton”), a leading U.S. cigar manufacturer.
Our smoke-free portfolio includes ownership of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (“USSTC”), the leading global moist smokeless tobacco (“MST”) manufacturer, Helix Innovations LLC (“Helix”), a leading manufacturer of oral nicotine pouches, and NJOY, LLC (“NJOY”), currently the only e-vapor manufacturer with market authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for a pod-based e-vapor product. Additionally, we have a majority-owned joint venture, Horizon Innovations LLC (“Horizon”), for the U.S. marketing and commercialization of heated tobacco stick products (“HTS”) and, through a separate agreement, we have the exclusive U.S. commercialization rights to the IQOS Tobacco Heating System (“IQOS System”) and Marlboro HeatSticks through April 2024. As of this filing, there are no products in the U.S. marketplace from the joint venture or exclusive rights agreement.
In March 2023, we entered into a stock transfer agreement with JUUL Labs, Inc. (“JUUL”) pursuant to which we transferred to JUUL all of our beneficially owned JUUL equity securities. In exchange, we received a non-exclusive, irrevocable global license to certain of JUUL’s heated tobacco intellectual property.
Our investments in equity securities include Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (“ABI”), the world’s largest brewer, and Cronos Group Inc. (“Cronos”), a leading Canadian cannabinoid company.
On June 1, 2023, we acquired NJOY Holdings, Inc. (“NJOY Holdings”) for a total consideration of $2.9 billion (“NJOY Transaction”), which includes the fair value of contingent consideration and is subject to post-closing adjustments. For further details, see Note 2. Acquisition of NJOYto our condensed consolidated financial statements in Part 1, Item 1. Financial Statements of this Form 10-Q (“Item 1”).
The brand portfolios of our tobacco operating companies include Marlboro, Black & Mild, Copenhagen, Skoal, on! and NJOY. Trademarks and service marks related to Altria referenced in this Form 10-Q are the property of Altria or our subsidiaries or are used with permission.
Trends and Developments
In this MD&A section, we discuss factors that have impacted our business as of the date of this Form 10-Q. In addition, we are aware of and address, in this section and other MD&A sections, certain trends and developments that could, individually or in the aggregate, have a material impact on our business, including the value of our investments in equity securities, in the future. We focus in this Trends and Developments section on the continued elevated rate of inflation, supply chain disruptions, ongoing geopolitical events and recent regulatory actions and their potential effects on our business, including impacts on adult tobacco consumers and their purchasing behaviors.
We continue to monitor the evolving macroeconomic and geopolitical landscapes. While the most recent inflation report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a lower rate of increase, inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%, driven by increased global energy, commodity and food prices. We continue to observe discretionary income pressures on adult tobacco consumers as a result of the cumulative effect of high inflation. During the second quarter of 2023, cigarette retail share for the industry discount segment was up year-over-year but was unchanged from the first quarter of 2023. We will continue to monitor the effect of these dynamics on adult tobacco consumer purchase behaviors, including overall tobacco product expenditures, mix between premium and discount brand purchases and adoption of smoke-free products. Increases in inflation also have a direct and adverse impact on our Master Settlement Agreement (“MSA”) expense and other direct and indirect costs. We expect inflationary pressures to continue to impact adult tobacco consumers’ purchase behaviors for the remainder of the year.
Volatility in domestic and global economies and disruptions in the supply and distribution chains have continued in 2023, resulting from several factors, including the on-going impacts of inflation, supply and demand imbalances across many sectors such as energy and commodities, raw materials availability, congested shipping operations and geopolitical events. We continue to work to mitigate the potential negative impacts of these macroeconomic and geopolitical dynamics on our businesses through, among other actions, proactive engagement with current and potential suppliers and distributors, the development of alternative sourcing strategies, entry into long-term supply contracts and prudent oversight of our liquidity.
Tobacco companies are subject to broad and evolving regulatory and legislative frameworks that could have a material impact on our business. For example, the FDA has issued proposed product standards regarding menthol in cigarettes and characterizing flavors in cigars, and the Biden Administration published plans for future potential regulatory actions that include the FDA’s plans to develop a proposed product standard that would establish a maximum nicotine level for cigarettes and certain other combustible tobacco products. In California, where a ban on flavored nicotine products went into effect in late 2022, we continue to observe indications of negative unintended consequences of the ban, such as adult tobacco consumer adoption of adulterated and unregulated products and the development of illicit markets.
See Operating Results by Business Segment - Tobacco Space - Business Environment for additional information on the trends and developments discussed above.
We expect adverse macroeconomic and geopolitical landscapes, which have impacted global businesses, including ABI, to continue in 2023. ABI’s business has continued to be impacted by foreign exchange rate fluctuations, inflation and commodity cost headwinds. Additionally, the macroeconomic and geopolitical factors have contributed to significant changes in certain foreign exchange rates, including the Euro to U.S. dollar exchange rate, and in the global equity markets. We will continue to monitor these conditions and other factors as they could affect our equity earnings that we receive from ABI and the fair value of our equity investment in ABI.
See Note 5. Investments in Equity Securities to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 (“Note 5”) for additional information on our investments in equity securities.
Our operating companies have not experienced any material adverse effects from the trends and developments discussed above. Additionally, we do not believe that these trends and developments have impacted our ability to achieve our Vision. As the trends and developments discussed above evolve and new ones emerge, we will continue to evaluate the potential impacts on our business, investments and Vision.
Consolidated Results of Operations for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2023
The changes in net earnings and diluted EPS for the six months ended June 30, 2023, from the six months ended June 30, 2022, were due primarily to the following:
(in millions, except per share data)
Net Earnings
Diluted EPS
For the six months ended June 30, 2022
$
2,850
$
1.57
2022 NPM Adjustment Items
(45)
(0.02)
2022 Acquisition and disposition-related items
7
—
2022 Tobacco and health and certain other litigation items
44
0.02
2022 JUUL changes in fair value
1,255
0.70
2022 ABI-related special items
42
0.02
2022 Cronos-related special items
167
0.09
2022 Income tax items
9
—
Subtotal 2022 special items
1,479
0.81
2023 Acquisition and disposition-related items
(1)
—
2023 Tobacco and health and certain other litigation items
(301)
(0.17)
2023 Loss on disposition of JUUL equity securities
(250)
(0.14)
2023 ABI-related special items
22
0.01
2023 Cronos-related special items
(30)
(0.02)
Subtotal 2023 special items
(560)
(0.32)
Fewer shares outstanding
—
0.04
Change in tax rate
7
—
Operations
128
0.08
For the six months ended June 30, 2023
$
3,904
$
2.18
2023 Reported Net Earnings
$
3,904
$
2.18
2022 Reported Net Earnings
$
2,850
$
1.57
% Change
37.0
%
38.9
%
2023 Adjusted Net Earnings and Adjusted Diluted EPS
$
4,464
$
2.50
2022 Adjusted Net Earnings and Adjusted Diluted EPS
$
4,329
$
2.38
% Change
3.1
%
5.0
%
For a discussion of special items and other business drivers affecting the comparability of statements of earnings amounts and reconciliations of adjusted earnings and adjusted diluted EPS, see the Consolidated Operating Results section below.
▪Fewer Shares Outstanding: Fewer shares outstanding were due to shares we repurchased under our share repurchase programs.
▪Operations: The increase of $128 million in operations (which excludes the impact of special items shown in the table above) was due primarily to higher OCI, higher income from our equity investment in ABI and lower interest and other debt expense, net, partially offset by lower net periodic benefit income.
For further details, see the Consolidated Operating Results and Operating Results by Business Segment sections below.
Consolidated Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2023
The changes in net earnings and diluted EPS for the three months ended June 30, 2023, from the three months ended June 30, 2022, were due primarily to the following:
(in millions, except per share data)
Net Earnings
Diluted EPS
For the three months ended June 30, 2022
$
891
$
0.49
2022 Acquisition and disposition-related items
2
—
2022 Tobacco and health and certain other litigation items
35
0.02
2022 JUUL changes in fair value
1,155
0.64
2022 ABI-related special items
89
0.05
2022 Cronos-related special items
106
0.06
2022 Income tax items
4
—
Subtotal 2022 special items
1,391
0.77
2023 Acquisition and disposition-related items
(13)
—
2023 Tobacco and health and certain other litigation items
(217)
(0.12)
2023 ABI-related special items
2
—
2023 Cronos-related special items
(4)
—
2023 Income tax items
3
—
Subtotal 2023 special items
(229)
(0.12)
Fewer shares outstanding
—
0.02
Change in tax rate
3
—
Operations
61
0.03
For the three months ended June 30, 2023
$
2,117
$
1.19
2023 Reported Net Earnings
$
2,117
$
1.19
2022 Reported Net Earnings
$
891
$
0.49
% Change
100%+
100%+
2023 Adjusted Net Earnings and Adjusted Diluted EPS
$
2,346
$
1.31
2022 Adjusted Net Earnings and Adjusted Diluted EPS
$
2,282
$
1.26
% Change
2.8
%
4.0
%
For a discussion of special items and other business drivers affecting the comparability of statements of earnings amounts and reconciliations of adjusted earnings and adjusted diluted EPS, see the Consolidated Operating Results section below.
▪Fewer Shares Outstanding: Fewer shares outstanding were due to shares we repurchased under our share repurchase programs.
▪Operations: The increase of $61 million in operations (which excludes the impact of special items shown in the table above) was due primarily to higher OCI, partially offset by lower net periodic benefit income.
For further details, see the Consolidated Operating Results and Operating Results by Business Segment sections below.
2023 Forecasted Results
We expect our 2023 full-year adjusted diluted EPS to be in a range of $4.89 to $5.03, representing a growth rate of 1% to 4% from a 2022 full-year adjusted diluted EPS base of $4.84, as shown in the first table below. Our 2023 full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance range includes planned investments in support of our Vision, such as (i) continued smoke-free product research, development and regulatory preparation expenses, (ii) enhancement of our digital consumer engagement system and (iii) marketplace activities in support of our smoke-free products, including planned investments behind the U.S.
commercialization of NJOYACE. Our guidance range also includes estimated amortization charges of approximately $50 million related to intangible assets acquired in the NJOY Transaction.
While the 2023 full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance accounts for a range of scenarios, the external environment remains dynamic. We will continue to monitor conditions related to (i) the economy, including the impact of high inflation, rising interest rates and global supply chain disruptions, (ii) adult tobacco consumer dynamics, including disposable income, purchasing patterns and adoption of smoke-free products and (iii) regulatory and legislative developments.
We continue to expect our 2023 full-year adjusted effective tax rate to be in a range of 24.5% to 25.5%.
Reconciliation of 2022 Reported Diluted EPS to 2022 Adjusted Diluted EPS
2022 Reported diluted EPS
$
3.19
NPM Adjustment Items
(0.03)
Tobacco and health and certain other litigation items
0.05
JUUL changes in fair value
0.81
ABI-related special items
1.12
Cronos-related special items
0.10
Income tax items
(0.40)
2022 Adjusted diluted EPS
$
4.84
The following (income) expense items are excluded from our 2023 forecasted adjusted diluted EPS growth rate:
(Income) Expense Excluded from 2023 Forecasted Adjusted Diluted EPS
Tobacco and health and certain other litigation items
$
0.17
Loss on disposition of JUUL equity securities
0.14
ABI-related special items
(0.01)
Cronos-related special items
0.02
$
0.32
For a discussion of certain income and expense items excluded from the forecasted results above, see the Consolidated Operating Results section below.
Our full-year adjusted diluted EPS forecast and full-year forecast for our adjusted effective tax rate exclude the impact of certain income and expense items, including those items noted in the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section below, that our management believes are not part of underlying operations. Other than as set forth in the table immediately above, our management cannot estimate on a forward-looking basis the impact of these items on our reported diluted EPS or our reported effective tax rate because these items, which could be significant, may be unusual or infrequent, are difficult to predict and may be highly variable. As a result, we do not provide a corresponding GAAP measure for, or reconciliation to, our adjusted diluted EPS forecast or our adjusted effective tax rate forecast.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We report our financial results in accordance with GAAP. However, our management also reviews certain financial results, including OCI, OCI margins, net earnings and diluted EPS, on an adjusted basis, which excludes certain income and expense items that our management believes are not part of underlying operations. These items may include, for example, loss on early extinguishment of debt, restructuring charges, asset impairment charges, acquisition and disposition-related items, equity investment-related special items (including any changes in fair value of our equity investment recorded at fair value and any changes in the fair value of related warrants and preemptive rights), certain income tax items, charges associated with tobacco and health and certain other litigation items, and resolutions of certain non-participating manufacturer (“NPM”) adjustment disputes under the MSA (“NPM Adjustment Items”). In addition, our management reviews the ratio of debt-to-Consolidated EBITDA, which we use as a factor to determine our ability to access the capital markets and make investments in pursuit of our Vision. Consolidated EBITDA, as defined in our Credit Agreement, is calculated in accordance with our Credit Agreement (defined below in Liquidity and Capital Resources) and includes certain adjustments. Our management does not view any of these special items to be part of our underlying results as they may be highly variable, may be unusual or infrequent, are difficult to predict and can distort underlying business trends and results. Our management also reviews income tax rates on an adjusted basis, which may exclude certain income tax items from our reported effective tax rate.
Our management believes that the foregoing financial measures provide useful additional insight into underlying business trends and results, and provide a more meaningful comparison of year-over-year results. Our management uses these financial
measures and regularly provides these to our chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) for planning, forecasting and evaluating business and financial performance, including allocating resources and evaluating results relative to employee compensation targets. The foregoing financial measures are not required by, or calculated in accordance with GAAP and may not be calculated the same as similarly titled measures used by other companies. The foregoing financial measures should thus be considered as supplemental in nature and not considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. Except as noted in the 2023 Forecasted Results section above, when we provide a non-GAAP measure in this Form 10-Q, we also provide a reconciliation of that non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.
Discussion and Analysis
Consolidated Operating Results
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Net Revenues:
Smokeable products
$
10,910
$
11,138
$
5,820
$
5,873
Oral tobacco products
1,308
1,278
680
665
All other
9
19
8
5
Net revenues
$
12,227
$
12,435
$
6,508
$
6,543
Excise Taxes on Products:
Smokeable products
$
1,969
$
2,181
$
1,041
$
1,137
Oral tobacco products
57
61
29
32
Excise taxes on products
$
2,026
$
2,242
$
1,070
$
1,169
Operating Income:
OCI:
Smokeable products
$
5,349
$
5,321
$
2,846
$
2,762
Oral tobacco products
859
837
443
430
All other
(13)
(20)
(4)
(15)
Amortization of intangibles
(45)
(35)
(27)
(18)
General corporate expenses
(488)
(114)
(353)
(54)
Operating income
$
5,662
$
5,989
$
2,905
$
3,105
As discussed further in Note 10. Segment Reporting to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 (“Note 10”), our CODM reviews OCI, which is defined as operating income before general corporate expenses and amortization of intangibles, to evaluate the performance of, and allocate resources to, our segments. Our management believes it is appropriate to disclose this measure to help investors analyze the business performance and trends of our business segments.
The following special items affected the comparability of statements of earnings amounts for the six and three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022:
▪NPM Adjustment Items: For a discussion of NPM Adjustment Items and a breakdown of these items by segment, see Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation in Note 13. Contingencies to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 (“Note 13”) and NPM Adjustment Items in Note 10, respectively.
▪Tobacco and Health and Certain Other Litigation Items: For a discussion of tobacco and health and certain other litigation items and a breakdown of these costs by segment, see Note 13 and Tobacco and Health and Certain Other Litigation Items in Note 10, respectively.
▪Loss on Disposition and Changes in Fair Value of JUUL Equity Securities: We recorded a non-cash, pre-tax loss of $250 million related to the disposition of our JUUL equity securities for the six months ended June 30, 2023 as (income) losses from investments in equity securities in our condensed consolidated statement of earnings.
We recorded non-cash, pre-tax unrealized losses of $1,255 million and $1,155 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2022 respectively, as (income) losses from investments in equity securities in our condensed consolidated statement of earnings as a result of decreases in the estimated fair value of our former investment in JUUL.
We recorded corresponding adjustments to the JUUL tax valuation allowance in 2023 and 2022.
For further discussion, see Note 5 and Note 12. Income Taxes to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 (“Note 12”).
▪ABI-Related Special Items: We recorded net pre-tax losses of $53 million and $112 million from our equity investment in ABI for the six and three months ended June 30, 2022, respectively, consisting primarily of ABI’s non-cash impairment charge related to its investment in a joint venture with direct exposure to Russia and Ukraine. The net pre-tax losses for the six months ended June 30, 2022 were partially offset by net mark-to-market gains on certain ABI financial instruments associated with its share commitments.
The ABI special items include our respective share of the amounts recorded by ABI and additional adjustments related to (i) conversion from international financial reporting standards to GAAP and (ii) adjustments to our investment required under the equity method of accounting.
▪Cronos-Related Special Items: We recorded net pre-tax expense consisting of the following:
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Loss on Cronos-related financial instruments
$
—
$
14
$
—
$
4
(Income) losses from investments in equity securities (1)
30
161
4
110
Total Cronos-related special items - (income) expense
$
30
$
175
$
4
$
114
(1) Amounts include our share of special items recorded by Cronos and additional adjustments, if required under the equity method of accounting, related to our investment in Cronos including the $107 million non-cash pre-tax impairment of our investment in Cronos in the second quarter of 2022.
We recorded corresponding adjustments to the Cronos tax valuation allowance in 2023 and 2022 relating to the special items.
For further discussion, see Note 5 and Note 12.
Six Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with Six Months Ended June 30, 2022
Net revenues, which include excise taxes billed to customers, decreased $208 million (1.7%), due primarily to lower net revenues in the smokeable products segment.
Cost of sales decreased $39 million (1.2%) due primarily to lower shipment volume in our smokeable products segment, partially offset by higher per unit settlement charges, NPM Adjustment Items in 2022 and higher manufacturing costs in our smokeable products segment.
Excise taxes on products decreased $216 million (9.6%), due to lower shipment volume in our smokeable products segment.
Marketing, administration and research costs increased $374 million (35.6%), due primarily to higher general corporate expenses, which included agreements in 2023 to resolve certain JUUL-related litigation and shareholder derivative lawsuits as discussed in Note 13, and acquisition-related costs associated with the NJOY Transaction.
Operating income decreased $327 million (5.5%), due primarily to higher general corporate expenses, partially offset by higher operating results in our smokeable products and oral tobacco products segments.
Interest and other debt expense, net decreased $75 million (13.4%), due primarily to 2023 interest income associated with the sale of the IQOS System commercialization rights and higher interest income due to higher rates, partially offset by interest expense and fees associated with the term loan facility. For additional information related to the term loan facility, see Liquidity and Capital Resources.
Net periodic benefit income, excluding service cost, decreased by $31 million (33.3%), due to higher discount rates resulting in higher interest costs and lower estimated return on assets due to lower fair value of plan assets at December 31, 2022, partially offset by lower amortization of net unrecognized losses in 2023. For additional information, see Note 7. Benefit Plans to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 (“Note 7”).
(Income) losses from investments in equity securities, which were favorable $1,276 million (100%+), were positively impacted by lower charges related to our former investment in JUUL equity securities, lower losses from our Cronos-related special items and higher income from our equity investment in ABI.
Reported net earnings of $3,904 million increased $1,054 million (37.0%), due primarily to favorable results from our investments in equity securities and lower interest and other debt expense, net, partially offset by lower operating income. Reported basic and diluted EPS of $2.18, each increased by 38.9% due to higher reported net earnings and fewer shares outstanding.
Adjusted net earnings of $4,464 million increased $135 million (3.1%), due primarily to higher OCI, higher income from our equity investment in ABI and lower interest and other debt expense, net, partially offset by lower net periodic benefit income. Adjusted diluted EPS of $2.50 increased by 5.0%, due to higher adjusted net earnings and fewer shares outstanding.
Three Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with Three Months Ended June 30, 2022
Net revenues, which include excise taxes billed to customers, decreased $35 million (0.5%), due primarily to lower net revenues in the smokeable products segment.
Cost of sales decreased $27 million (1.6%), due primarily to lower shipment volume in our smokeable products segment, partially offset by higher per unit settlement charges and higher manufacturing costs in our smokeable products segment.
Excise taxes on products decreased $99 million (8.5%), due to lower shipment volume in our smokeable products segment.
Marketing, administration and research costs increased $291 million (51.9%), due primarily to higher general corporate expenses, which included agreements in 2023 to resolve certain JUUL-related litigation as discussed in Note 13, and acquisition-related costs associated with the NJOY Transaction.
Operating income decreased $200 million (6.4%), due primarily to higher general corporate expenses, partially offset by higher operating results in our smokeable products and oral tobacco products segments.
Interest and other debt expense, net decreased $23 million (8.2%), due primarily to 2023 interest income associated with the sale of the IQOS System commercialization rights and higher interest income due to higher rates, partially offset by interest expense and fees associated with the term loan facility.
Net periodic benefit income, excluding service cost, decreased by $16 million (34.0%), due to higher discount rates resulting in higher interest costs and lower estimated return on assets due to lower fair value of plan assets at December 31, 2022, partially offset by lower amortization of net unrecognized losses in 2023. For additional information, see Note 7.
(Income) losses from investments in equity securities, which were favorable $1,390 million (100%+), were positively impacted by 2022 charges related to our former investment in JUUL equity securities, higher income from our equity investment in ABI and lower losses from our Cronos-related special items.
Reported net earnings of $2,117 million increased $1,226 million (100%+), due primarily to favorable results from our investments in equity securities, partially offset by lower operating income. Reported basic and diluted EPS of $1.19, each increased by (100%+) due to higher reported net earnings and fewer shares outstanding.
Adjusted net earnings of $2,346 million increased $64 million (2.8%), due primarily to higher OCI, partially offset by lower net periodic benefit income. Adjusted diluted EPS of $1.31 increased by 4.0%, due to higher adjusted net earnings and fewer shares outstanding.
The U.S. tobacco industry faces a number of business and legal challenges that have materially adversely affected and may continue to materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position or our ability to achieve our Vision. These challenges, some of which are discussed in more detail in Note 13 and in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 (“2022 Form 10-K”), in Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023 (“First Quarter Form 10-Q”) and in Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors in this Form 10-Q, include:
▪pending and threatened litigation and bonding requirements;
▪restrictions and requirements imposed by the FSPTCA, and restrictions and requirements (and related enforcement actions) that have been, and in the future will be, imposed by the FDA;
▪actual and proposed excise tax increases, as well as changes in tax structures and tax stamping requirements;
▪bans and restrictions on tobacco use imposed by governmental entities and private establishments and employers;
▪other federal, state and local government actions, including:
▪restrictions on the sale of certain tobacco products, the sale of tobacco products by certain retail establishments, the sale of tobacco products with characterizing flavors and the sale of tobacco products in certain package sizes;
▪additional restrictions on the advertising and promotion of tobacco products;
▪other actual and proposed tobacco-related legislation and regulation; and
▪governmental investigations;
▪reductions in consumption levels of cigarettes and MST products;
▪increased efforts by tobacco control advocates and other private sector entities (including retail establishments) to further restrict the availability and use of tobacco products or the ability to communicate with consumers through third-party digital platforms;
▪changes in adult tobacco consumer purchase behavior, which is influenced by various factors such as macroeconomic conditions (including inflation), excise taxes and price gap relationships, each of which may result in adult tobacco consumers switching to lower-priced tobacco products;
▪the highly competitive nature of all tobacco categories, including competitive disadvantages related to cigarette price increases attributable to the settlement of certain litigation and the proliferation of innovative tobacco products, such as e-vapor and oral nicotine pouch products;
▪illicit trade in tobacco products; and
▪potential adverse changes in prices, availability and quality of tobacco, other raw materials and component parts, including as a result of changes in macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions.
In addition to and in connection with the foregoing, evolving adult tobacco consumer preferences continue to impact the tobacco industry. We believe that a significant number of adult tobacco consumers switch among tobacco categories, use multiple forms of tobacco products and try innovative tobacco products, such as e-vapor products and oral nicotine pouches. Adult smokers continue to transition from cigarettes to exclusive use of smoke-free tobacco product alternatives, which aligns with our Vision.
We work to meet these evolving adult tobacco consumer preferences over time by developing, manufacturing, marketing and distributing products both within and outside the United States through innovation and other growth strategies (including, where appropriate, arrangements with, or investments in, third parties and acquisitions).
The U.S. nicotine pouch category continued to grow significantly throughout the second quarter of 2023 to 29.1% of the U.S. oral tobacco category, an increase of 8.4 share points versus the second quarter of 2022. on! maintained share momentum during the second quarter of 2023 to achieve 7.0% of the total oral tobacco category, an increase of 2.1 share points when compared to the second quarter of 2022. This represents a growth rate of 43% year-over-year, and this is the fifteenth consecutive quarter of on! share growth. Oral nicotine pouch growth has primarily sourced from adult smokeless tobacco and cigarette consumers. For the second quarter 2023, the traditional smokeless category (including MST and Snus) share of the total oral tobacco category declined to 70.9%, down 8.4 share points versus the second quarter of 2022. Copenhagen continues to be the number one brand in the oral tobacco category with a share of 24.3% for the second quarter of 2023, a decrease of 3.0 share points when compared to the second quarter of 2022.
The total e-vapor category experienced an estimated volume decline of 1.0% for the second quarter of 2023 compared to the second quarter of 2022. However, when compared to the first quarter of 2023, the e-vapor category grew by an estimated 3.0% in the second quarter of 2023.
We believe the innovative tobacco product categories will continue to be dynamic due to increasing competition, adult tobacco consumer exploration of a variety of tobacco product options, adult tobacco consumer perceptions of the relative risks of smoke-free products compared to cigarettes, FDA determinations on product applications, FDA enforcement activity and legislative actions.
For the second quarter of 2023, we estimate that, when adjusted for trade inventory movements, calendar differences and other factors, domestic cigarette industry volume declined by 7.5% versus the second quarter of 2022. Marlboro share was 42.1% in the second quarter of 2023, reflecting an increase of 0.1 share points as compared to the first quarter of 2023 and down 0.6 share points when compared to the second quarter of 2022. The discount share of the cigarette category was 28.2% in the second quarter of 2023, unchanged sequentially versus the first quarter of 2023. However, compared to the second quarter of 2022, total discount share increased by 1.8 share points in the second quarter of 2023. We expect 2023 cigarette industry volume trends to be most influenced by (i) disposable income, purchasing patterns and adoption of smoke-free products, (ii) macroeconomic conditions (including inflation, gasoline prices and unemployment levels), (iii) cross-category movement and (iv) regulatory and legislative (including excise tax) developments.
Discretionary income pressures persisted as the cumulative effect of inflation continued to impact adult tobacco consumers throughout the second quarter of 2023. For the 12 months ended June 30, 2023, the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) increased 3.0%. For the month of June 2023, gas prices were $3.57 per gallon, an increase of $0.23 versus January 2023 and a decrease of $1.36 versus June 2022. In addition, low unemployment and stable wage inflation continued for the six months ending June 30, 2023.
If macroeconomic conditions or other factors cause greater than expected discount share growth or a reduction in purchases at retail, such factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position, including an adverse effect on the carrying value of our assets such as our tobacco product trademarks.
FSPTCA and FDA Regulation
▪The Regulatory Framework:The FSPTCA and its related regulations establish broad FDA regulatory authority over all tobacco products and, among other provisions:
▪impose restrictions on the advertising, promotion, sale and distribution of tobacco products (see Final Tobacco Marketing Rule below);
▪establish pre-market review pathways for new and modified tobacco products (see Pre-Market Review Pathways for Tobacco Products and Market Authorization Enforcement below);
▪prohibit any express or implied claims that a tobacco product is or may be less harmful than other tobacco products without FDA authorization;
▪authorize the FDA to impose tobacco product standards that are appropriate for the protection of the public health (see Potential Product Standards below); and
▪equip the FDA with a variety of investigatory and enforcement tools, including the authority to inspect product manufacturing and other facilities (see Investigation and Enforcement below).
The FSPTCA also bans descriptors such as “light,” “low” or “mild” when used as descriptors of modified risk, unless expressly authorized by the FDA. In connection with a 2016 lawsuit initiated by Middleton, the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the FDA, informed Middleton that the FDA does not intend to bring an enforcement action against Middleton for the use of the term “mild” in the trademark “Black & Mild.” Consequently, Middleton dismissed its lawsuit without prejudice. If the FDA were to change its position at some later date, Middleton would have the opportunity to bring another lawsuit.
In March 2022, the U.S. Congress expanded the statutory definition of tobacco products to include products containing nicotine derived from any source, including synthetic nicotine. The amendment became effective in April 2022. See Pre-Market Review Pathways for Tobacco Products and Market Authorization Enforcement below for additional information on the effects of the statutory change.
▪Final Tobacco Marketing Rule: As required by the FSPTCA, in March 2010, the FDA promulgated a wide range of advertising and promotion restrictions for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco(1) products (the “Final Tobacco Marketing Rule”). The May 2016 deeming regulations amended the Final Tobacco Marketing Rule to expand specific provisions to all tobacco products, including cigars, pipe tobacco and e-vapor and oral nicotine products containing tobacco-derived nicotine or other tobacco derivatives.
The Final Tobacco Marketing Rule, as amended, among other things:
▪restricts the use of non-tobacco trade and brand names on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products;
▪prohibits sampling of all tobacco products except that sampling of smokeless tobacco products is permitted in qualified adult-only facilities;
▪prohibits the sale or distribution of items such as hats and tee shirts with cigarette or smokeless tobacco brands or logos;
▪prohibits cigarettes and smokeless tobacco brand name sponsorship of any athletic, musical, artistic or other social or cultural event, or any entry or team in any event; and
▪requires the development by the FDA of graphic warnings for cigarettes, establishes warning requirements for other tobacco products, and gives the FDA the authority to require new warnings for any type of tobacco product (see FDA Regulatory Actions - Graphic Warnings below).
Subject to certain limitations arising from legal challenges, the Final Tobacco Marketing Rule took effect in June 2010 for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, in August 2016 for all other tobacco products, including e-vapor and oral nicotine pouch products containing tobacco-derived nicotine, and in April 2022 for tobacco products, including e-vapor and oral nicotine pouch products, that contain nicotine from any source other than tobacco, such as synthetic nicotine.
▪Rulemaking and Guidance: From time to time, the FDA issues proposed regulations and guidance, which may be issued in draft or final form, generally involve public comment and may include scientific review. The FDA also may request comments on broad topics through an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANPRM”). We actively engage with the FDA to develop and implement the FSPTCA’s regulatory framework, including submission of comments to various FDA policies and proposals and participation in public hearings and engagement sessions.
The FDA’s implementation of the FSPTCA and related regulations and guidance also may have an impact on enforcement efforts by states, territories and localities of their laws and regulations as well as of the State Settlement Agreements (see State Settlement Agreements below). Such enforcement efforts may adversely affect our operating companies’ ability to market and sell regulated tobacco products in those states, territories and localities.
▪FDA’s Comprehensive Plan for Tobacco and Nicotine Regulation: In July 2017, the FDA announced a “Comprehensive Plan for Tobacco and Nicotine Regulation” (“Comprehensive Plan”) designed to strike a balance between regulation and encouraging the development of innovative tobacco products that may be less risky than cigarettes. Since then, the FDA has issued additional information about its Comprehensive Plan in response to concerns associated with the rise in the use of e-vapor products by youth and the potential youth appeal of flavored tobacco products (see FDA Regulatory Actions - Underage Access and Use of Certain Tobacco Products below). As part of the Comprehensive Plan, the FDA:
▪issued ANPRMs relating to potential product standards for nicotine in cigarettes, flavors in all tobacco products (including menthol in cigarettes and characterizing flavors in all cigars) and, for e-vapor products, to protect against known public health risks such as concerns about youth exposure to liquid nicotine;
▪took actions to restrict youth access to e-vapor products; and
▪reconsidered the processes used by the FDA to review certain reports and new product applications.
In December 2022, the Reagan-Udall Foundation published a report on its operational evaluation of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. Among other recommendations, the report urges the FDA to clearly define product pathways, accelerate PMTA decision-making, take enforcement actions against manufacturers and products that violate the law and address the need for risk communications to tobacco consumers. In February 2023, the FDA responded and committed to develop a five-year strategic plan by December 2023 designed to address concerns raised by the report and confirmed this intended timing in June 2023.
▪Pre-Market Review Pathways for Tobacco Products and Market Authorization Enforcement: The FSPTCA permits the sale of tobacco products on the market as of February 15, 2007 and not subsequently modified (“Pre-existing Tobacco Products”) and new or modified products authorized through the PMTA, Substantial Equivalence (“SE”) or SE
(1)“Smokeless tobacco,” as used in this section of this Form 10-Q, refers to smokeless tobacco products first regulated by the FDA in 2009, including MST.It excludes oral nicotine pouches, which were first regulated by the FDA in 2016.
Exemption pathways. Subsequent FDA rules also provide a Supplemental PMTA pathway designed to increase the efficiency of submission and review for modified versions of previously authorized products.
The FDA pre-market authorization enforcement policy varies based on product type and date of availability in the market, specifically:
▪Pre-existing Tobacco Products are exempt from the pre-market authorization requirement;
▪cigarette and smokeless tobacco products that were modified or first introduced into the market between February 15, 2007 and March 22, 2011 are generally considered “Provisional Products” for which SE reports were required to be filed by March 22, 2011. These reports must demonstrate that the product has the same characteristics as a product on the market as of February 15, 2007 or to a product previously determined to be substantially equivalent, or has different characteristics but does not raise different questions of public health;
▪tobacco products that were first regulated by the FDA in 2016, including cigars, e-vapor products and oral nicotine pouches that are not Pre-existing Tobacco Products, are generally products for which either an SE report or PMTA needed to be filed by September 9, 2020; and
▪tobacco products containing nicotine from any source other than tobacco (e.g., synthetic nicotine) that were on the market between March 15, 2022 and April 14, 2022 and are not Pre-existing Tobacco Products are generally products for which a manufacturer must have filed a PMTA by May 14, 2022. A manufacturer was permitted to keep such a product on the market until July 13, 2022 provided that a PMTA was filed by May 14, 2022. Thereafter, unless the FDA granted the product a marketing order, the product is unlawful and subject to possible FDA enforcement.
Modifications to currently marketed products, including modifications that result from, for example, changes to the quantity of tobacco product(s) in a package, a manufacturer being unable to acquire ingredients or a supplier being unable to maintain the consistency required in ingredients, could trigger the FDA’s pre-market review processes. Through these processes, a manufacturer could receive (i) a “not substantially equivalent” determination or (ii) a denial of a PMTA, either of which could result in a product being removed from the market. In addition, new scientific data continues to be developed relating to innovative tobacco products, which could impact the FDA’s determination as to whether a product is, or continues to be, appropriate for the protection of public health and could, therefore, result in the removal of one or more products from the market. Any such actions affecting our operating companies’ products could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
Products Regulated in 2009:Most cigarette and smokeless tobacco products currently marketed by PM USA and USSTC are “Provisional Products.” PM USA and USSTC timely submitted SE reports for these Provisional Products and have received SE determinations on certain Provisional Products. Those products that were found by the FDA to be not substantially equivalent (certain smokeless tobacco products) had been discontinued for business reasons prior to the FDA’s determinations; therefore, those determinations did not impact business results. PM USA and USSTC have other Provisional Products that continue to be subject to the FDA’s pre-market review process. In the meantime, they can continue marketing these products unless the FDA determines that a specific Provisional Product is not substantially equivalent.
In addition, the FDA has communicated that it will not review a certain subset of Provisional Product SE reports and that the products that are the subject of those reports can continue to be legally marketed without further FDA review. PM USA and USSTC have Provisional Products included in this subset of products.
While we believe PM USA’s and USSTC’s current Provisional Products meet the statutory requirements of the FSPTCA, we cannot predict how the FDA will ultimately apply law, regulation and guidance to their various SE reports. Should PM USA or USSTC receive unfavorable determinations on any SE reports currently pending with the FDA, we believe PM USA and USSTC can replace the vast majority of these product volumes with other FDA authorized products or with Pre-existing Tobacco Products.
Cigarette and smokeless tobacco products introduced into the market or modified after March 22, 2011 are “Non-Provisional Products” and must receive a marketing order from the FDA prior to being offered for sale. Marketing orders for Non-Provisional Products may be obtained by filing an SE report, PMTA or using another pre-market pathway established by the FDA. PM USA and USSTC may not be able to obtain a marketing order for non-provisional products because the FDA may determine that any such product does not meet the statutory requirements for approval.
Products Regulated in 2016: Manufacturers of products first regulated by the FDA in 2016, including cigars, oral nicotine pouches and e-vapor products, that were on the market as of August 8, 2016 and not subsequently modified must have filed an SE report or PMTA by the filing deadline of September 9, 2020 in order for their products to remain on the market. These products can remain on the market during FDA review through court-allowed, case-by-case discretion, so long as the report or application was timely filed with the FDA. In September 2022, the FDA represented that it had resolved more than 99% of the timely applications it had received, with the vast majority resulting in a denial. A number of the denials are subject to litigation
challenges initiated by the affected manufacturers. For those products still under FDA review, it is uncertain when and for how long the FDA may permit continued marketing and sale of those products pursuant to its case-by-case discretion. For products (new or modified) not on the market as of August 8, 2016, manufacturers must file an SE report or PMTA and receive FDA authorization prior to marketing and selling the product.
Helix submitted PMTAs for on! oral nicotine pouches in May 2020. As of July 27, 2023, the FDA has not issued marketing order decisions for any on! products. In addition, as of July 27, 2023, Middleton has received market orders or exemptions that cover over 99% of its cigar product volume.
In April 2019, the FDA authorized the PMTA for the IQOS System,and in July 2020, the FDA authorized the marketing of this system as an MRTP with a reduced exposure claim. In December 2020, the FDA authorized the PMTA for IQOS 3, an updated version of the IQOS devices, and in March 2022 authorized the marketing of the IQOS 3 device as an MRTP with the same reduced exposure claim.
In September 2021, in connection with a patent dispute, the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) issued a cease and desist order, effective as of November 29, 2021, banning (i) the importation of the IQOS devices, Marlboro HeatSticks and infringing components into the United States and (ii) the sale, marketing and distribution of such imported products in the United States. As a result, PM USA removed the products from the marketplace. For a further discussion of the ITC decision, see Note 13. We have agreed to assign the exclusive U.S. commercialization rights to the IQOS System to Philip Morris International Inc. (“PMI”) effective April 2024 in exchange for a total cash payment of approximately $2.7 billion (plus interest).
In October 2021, the FDA authorized the marketing and sale of four of USSTC’s Verve oral nicotine products, including Green Mint and Blue Mint varieties, representing the first flavored product authorizations issued by the FDA for newly deemed innovative products. These products are not currently marketed or sold.
In March 2023, the FDA authorized USSTC to communicate a modified risk claim about its Copenhagen Classic Snuff MST product. This product is not currently marketed or sold. The authorized claim for Copenhagen Classic Snuff is “IF YOU SMOKE, CONSIDER THIS: Switching completely to this product from cigarettes reduces risk of lung cancer.” USSTC’s authorization to use this claim is subject to the FDA’s post-market surveillance requirements.
In June 2023, we completed our acquisition of NJOY Holdings, the parent of NJOY. As a result of the acquisition, NJOY became a wholly owned subsidiary of Altria, and we gained full global ownership of NJOY’s e-vapor product portfolio, including NJOY ACE, currently the only pod-based e-vapor product with market authorizations from the FDA. In March 2020, NJOY submitted PMTAs to the FDA with respect to two NJOY ACE Menthol products, both of which were amended in December 2022 and remain pending.
Post-Market Surveillance: Manufacturers that receive product authorizations through the PMTA process must adhere to the FDA post-market record keeping and reporting requirements, as detailed in market orders and in the final PMTA rule that went into effect in November 2021. The requirements include prior notification of marketing activities. The FDA may amend requirements of a market order or withdraw the market order based on this information if, among other reasons, it determines that the continued marketing of the products is no longer appropriate for the protection of the public health.
Effect of Adverse FDA Determinations: FDA review time frames have varied. It is therefore difficult to predict the duration of FDA reviews of SE reports or PMTAs. An unfavorable determination on an application, the withdrawal by the FDA of a prior marketing order or other changes in FDA regulatory requirements could result in the removal of products from the market. A “not substantially equivalent” determination, a denial of a PMTA or a marketing order withdrawal by the FDA on one or more products (which would require the removal of the product or products from the market) could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position. Also, adverse FDA determinations on innovative tobacco products could have a material adverse effect on our ability to achieve our Vision.
▪FDA Regulatory Actions
▪Graphic Warnings:In March 2020, the FDA issued a final rule requiring 11 textual warnings accompanied by color graphics depicting certain negative health consequences of smoking on cigarette packaging and advertising. The final rule was set to become effective on October 6, 2023. However, PM USA and other cigarette manufacturers filed lawsuits challenging the final rule on substantive and procedural grounds. In December 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas found in favor of cigarette manufacturers in one such suit and blocked the rule, finding it unconstitutional on the basis that it compelled speech in violation of the First Amendment. The FDA has appealed the decision.
▪Underage Access and Use of Certain Tobacco Products:The FDA announced regulatory actions in September 2018 to address underage access and use of e-vapor products. We have engaged with the FDA on this topic and have reaffirmed to the FDA our ongoing and long-standing commitment to preventing underage use. For example, we advocated raising the minimum legal age to purchase all tobacco products to 21 at the federal and state levels to further
address underage use, which is now federal law. See Federal, State and Local Legislation to Increase the Legal Age to Purchase Tobacco Products below for further discussion.
Additionally, the FDA issued final guidance in April 2020, stating that it intended to prioritize enforcement action against certain product categories, including pod-based, flavored e-vapor products and products targeted to minors. More recently, the FDA has taken enforcement action aimed at manufacturers and retailers of certain disposable flavored electronic nicotine delivery system products
▪Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Products: As of July 27, 2023, many manufacturers of menthol and other flavored e-vapor products have received marketing denial orders (“MDOs”) for failure to provide sufficiently strong product-specific scientific evidence to demonstrate that the benefit of their products to adult smokers overcomes the risk that their products pose to youth. The FDA has communicated in these MDOs that vapor products with non-tobacco flavors present unique questions relevant to the FDA’s “Appropriate for the Protection of Public Health” standard and that successful applications require strong, product-specific evidence. A number of these manufacturers are appealing the MDOs for their products.
▪Potential Product Standards
▪Nicotine in Cigarettes and Other Combustible Tobacco Products:In March 2018, the FDA issued an ANPRM seeking comments on the potential public health benefits and any possible adverse effects of lowering nicotine in combustible cigarettes to non-addictive or minimally addictive levels. Among other issues, the FDA sought comments on (i) whether smokers would compensate by smoking more cigarettes to obtain the same level of nicotine as with their current product and (ii) whether the proposed rule would create an illicit trade of cigarettes containing nicotine at levels higher than a non-addictive threshold that may be established by the FDA. The FDA also sought comments on whether a nicotine product standard should apply to other combustible tobacco products, including cigars. In June 2023, the Biden Administration published its Spring 2023 Unified Regulatory Agenda, which includes the FDA’s plans to propose, by December 2023, a product standard that would establish a maximum nicotine level in cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products. Any proposed product standard would proceed through the rulemaking process, which we believe will take multiple years to complete.
▪Flavors in Tobacco Products:In April 2022, the FDA issued two proposed product standards: (i) banning menthol in cigarettes and (ii) banning all characterizing flavors (including menthol) in cigars. The Biden Administration’s Spring 2023 Unified Regulatory Agenda includes the FDA’s plans to complete rulemaking with respect to these proposed product standards by August 2023. We submitted comments during the notice-and-comment period and plan to continue engaging with the FDA through the rulemaking process. The FDA could propose an additional product standard for flavors in innovative tobacco products, including e-vapor products and oral nicotine products.
▪N-nitrosonornicotine (“NNN”) in Smokeless Tobacco:In January 2017, the FDA proposed a product standard for NNN levels in finished smokeless tobacco products.
If any one or more of the foregoing potential product standards were to become final and was appealed and upheld in the courts, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position, including a material adverse effect on the carrying value of certain of our assets such as our cigar trademarks.
▪Good Manufacturing Practices: In March 2023, the FDA, pursuant to the requirements of the FSPTCA, issued a proposed rule setting forth requirements for tobacco product manufacturers regarding the manufacture, design, packing and storage of their products. This proposed rule establishes a framework of good manufacturing practices, including by:
▪establishing tobacco product design and development controls;
▪ensuring that finished and bulk tobacco products are manufactured according to established specifications;
▪minimizing the manufacture and distribution of tobacco products that do not meet specifications;
▪requiring manufacturers to take appropriate measures to prevent contamination of tobacco products;
▪requiring investigation and identification of products that do not meet specifications and requiring manufacturers to institute appropriate corrective actions, such as a recall; and
▪establishing the ability to trace all components or parts, ingredients, additives and materials, as well as each batch of finished or bulk tobacco products, to aid in investigations of those that do not meet specifications.
We plan to engage with the FDA through the rulemaking process, including during the notice-and-comment period, which closes on September 6, 2023. If the proposed rule were to take effect, compliance with these requirements could result in increased costs.
▪Impact on Our Business; Compliance Costs and User Fees: Additional FDA regulatory actions under the FSPTCA could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position in various ways. For example, actions by the FDA could:
▪impact the consumer acceptability of tobacco products;
▪delay, discontinue or prevent the sale or distribution of existing, new or modified tobacco products;
▪limit adult tobacco consumer choices;
▪impose restrictions on communications with adult tobacco consumers;
▪create a competitive advantage or disadvantage for certain tobacco companies;
▪impose additional manufacturing, labeling or packaging requirements;
▪impose additional restrictions at retail;
▪result in increased illicit trade in tobacco products; and
▪otherwise significantly increase the cost of doing business.
The FSPTCA imposes user fees on cigarette, cigarette tobacco, smokeless tobacco, cigar and pipe tobacco manufacturers and importers to pay for the cost of regulation and other matters. The FSPTCA does not impose user fees on e-vapor or oral nicotine pouch manufacturers. The cost of the FDA user fee is allocated first among tobacco product categories subject to FDA user fees and then among manufacturers and importers within each respective category based on their relative market shares, all as prescribed by the FSPTCA and FDA regulations. Payments for user fees are adjusted for several factors, including market share and industry volume. See Liquidity and Capital Resources - Payments Under State Settlement Agreements and FDA Regulation below for a discussion of our FDA user fee payments. In addition, compliance with the FSPTCA’s regulatory requirements has resulted, and will continue to result, in additional costs. The amount of additional compliance and related costs has not been material in any given quarter or year-to-date period but could become material, either individually or in the aggregate. The failure to comply with FDA regulatory requirements, even inadvertently, and FDA enforcement actions also could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
▪Investigation and Enforcement: The FDA has a number of investigatory and enforcement tools available to it, including document requests and other required information submissions, facility inspections, facility closures, examinations and investigations, injunction proceedings, monetary penalties, product withdrawal and recall orders, and product seizures. Investigations or enforcement actions could result in significant costs or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
Excise Taxes
Tobacco products are subject to substantial excise taxes in the United States. Significant increases in tobacco-related taxes or fees have been proposed or enacted (including with respect to e-vapor products) and are likely to continue to be proposed or enacted at the federal, state and local levels within the United States. The frequency and magnitude of excise tax increases can be influenced by various factors, including the composition of executive and legislative bodies.
Federal, state and local cigarette excise taxes have increased substantially over the past two decades, far outpacing the rate of inflation. Between the end of 1998 and July 27, 2023, the weighted-average state cigarette excise tax increased from $0.36 to $1.89 per pack. As of July 27, 2023, one state, New York, has enacted new legislation increasing excise taxes in 2023. The increase in New York will become effective in September 2023. Various other increases are under consideration or have been proposed.
A majority of states currently tax MST using an ad valorem method, which is calculated as a percentage of the price of the product, typically the wholesale price. This ad valorem method results in more tax being paid on premium products than is paid on lower-priced products of equal weight. We support legislation to convert ad valorem taxes on MST to a weight-based methodology because, unlike the ad valorem tax, a weight-based tax subjects cans of equal weight to the same tax. As of July 27, 2023, the federal government, 23 states, Puerto Rico, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Cook County, Illinois have adopted a weight-based tax methodology for MST.
An increasing number of states and localities also are imposing excise taxes on e-vapor products and oral nicotine pouches. As of July 27, 2023, 32 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and a number of cities and counties have enacted legislation to tax e-vapor products. These taxes are calculated in varying ways and may differ based on the e-vapor product form. Similarly, 11 states and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation to tax oral nicotine pouches.
Tax increases are expected to continue to have an adverse impact on sales of our operating companies’ products through lower consumption levels and the potential shift in adult tobacco consumer purchases from premium to non-premium or discount cigarettes, to lower taxed tobacco products or to counterfeit and contraband products. Lower sales volume and reported share performance of our operating companies’ products could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position. In addition, substantial excise tax increases on e-vapor and oral nicotine products may
negatively impact adult smokers’ transition to these products, which could materially adversely affect our ability to achieve our Vision.
International Treaty on Tobacco Control
The World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (the “FCTC”) entered into force in February 2005. As of July 27, 2023, 181 countries, as well as the European Union, have become parties to the FCTC. While the United States is a signatory of the FCTC, it is not currently a party to the agreement, as the agreement has not been submitted to, or ratified by, the U.S. Senate. The FCTC is the first international public health treaty and its objective is to establish a global agenda for tobacco regulation with the purpose of reducing initiation of tobacco use and encouraging cessation. The treaty recommends (and in certain instances, requires) signatory nations to enact legislation that would address various tobacco-related issues.
There are a number of proposals currently under consideration by the governing body of the FCTC, some of which call for substantial restrictions on the manufacture, marketing, distribution and sale of tobacco products. It is not possible to predict the outcome of these proposals or the impact of any FCTC actions on legislation or regulation in the United States, either indirectly or as a result of the United States becoming a party to the FCTC, or whether or how these actions might indirectly influence FDA regulation and enforcement.
State Settlement Agreements
As discussed in Note 13, during 1997 and 1998, PM USA and other major domestic cigarette manufacturers entered into the State Settlement Agreements. These settlements require participating manufacturers to make substantial annual payments, which are adjusted for several factors, including inflation, operating income, market share and industry volume. Increases in inflation can increase our financial liability under the State Settlement Agreements. The State Settlement Agreements’ inflation calculations require us to apply the higher of 3% or the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”) percentage rate as published in January of each year. As of December 2022, the inflation calculation was approximately 6.5% based on the latest CPI-U data; however, the increase in the annual payments did not have a material impact on our financial position. We believe that inflation will continue at increased levels in 2023, but do not expect the corresponding increase in annual payments to result in a material financial impact. However, we will continue to monitor the impact of increased inflation on the macroeconomic environment and our businesses.
For a discussion of the impact of the State Settlement Agreements on us, see Liquidity and Capital Resources - Payments Under State Settlement Agreements and FDA Regulation below and Note 13. The State Settlement Agreements also place numerous requirements and restrictions on participating manufacturers’ business operations, including prohibitions and restrictions on the advertising and marketing of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. Among these are prohibitions of outdoor and transit brand advertising, payments for product placement and free sampling (except in adult-only facilities). The State Settlement Agreements also place restrictions on the use of brand name sponsorships and brand name non-tobacco products and prohibitions on targeting youth and the use of cartoon characters. In addition, the State Settlement Agreements require companies to affirm corporate principles directed at reducing underage use of cigarettes; impose requirements regarding lobbying activities; limit the industry’s ability to challenge certain tobacco control and underage use laws; and provide for the dissolution of certain tobacco-related organizations and place restrictions on the establishment of any replacement organizations.
In November 1998, USSTC entered into the Smokeless Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (the “STMSA”) with the attorneys general of various states and United States territories to resolve the remaining health care cost reimbursement cases initiated against USSTC. The STMSA required USSTC to adopt various marketing and advertising restrictions. USSTC is the only smokeless tobacco manufacturer to sign the STMSA.
Other International, Federal, State and Local Regulation and Governmental and Private Activity
▪International, Federal, State and Local Regulation:Various states and localities have enacted or proposed legislation that imposes restrictions on tobacco products (including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, e-vapor products and oral nicotine pouches), such as legislation that (i) prohibits the sale of all tobacco products or certain tobacco categories, such as e-vapor, (ii) prohibits the sale of tobacco products with characterizing flavors, such as menthol cigarettes and flavored e-vapor products, (iii) requires the disclosure of health information separate from or in addition to federally mandated health warnings and (iv) restricts commercial speech or imposes additional restrictions on the marketing or sale of tobacco products. The legislation varies in terms of the type of tobacco products, the conditions under which such products are or would be restricted or prohibited, and exceptions to the restrictions or prohibitions. For example, a number of proposals involving characterizing flavors would prohibit smokeless tobacco products with characterizing flavors without providing an exception for mint- or wintergreen-flavored products. As of July 27, 2023, multiple states and localities are considering legislation to ban flavors in one or more tobacco products, and seven states (California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Utah) and the District of Columbia have passed such legislation. Some of these states, such as New York, Utah and Illinois,
exempt certain products that have received FDA market authorization through the PMTA pathway. The legislation in California, which became effective in December 2022, bans the sale of most tobacco products with characterizing flavors, including menthol, mint and wintergreen.
Massachusetts passed legislation capping the amount of nicotine in e-vapor products. Similar legislation is pending in four other states.
Similar restrictions to those enacted or proposed in various U.S. states and localities on e-vapor and oral nicotine pouch products have been enacted or proposed internationally.
We have challenged and will continue to challenge certain federal, state and local legislation and other governmental action, including through litigation. It is possible, however, that legislation, regulation or other governmental action could be enacted or implemented that could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position. Such action also could negatively impact adult smokers’ transition to smoke-free products, which could materially adversely affect our ability to achieve our Vision.
▪Federal, State and Local Legislation to Increase the Legal Age to Purchase Tobacco Products: After a number of states and localities proposed and enacted legislation to increase the minimum age to purchase all tobacco products, including e-vapor products, in December 2019, the federal government passed legislation increasing the minimum age to purchase all tobacco products, including e-vapor products, to 21 nationwide. As of July 27, 2023, 42 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have enacted laws increasing the legal age to purchase tobacco products to 21. Although an increase in the minimum age to purchase tobacco products may have a negative impact on our operating companies’ sales volumes, as discussed above under Underage Access and Use of Certain Tobacco Products, we support raising the minimum legal age to purchase all tobacco products to 21 at the federal and state levels, reflecting our longstanding commitment to combat underage tobacco use.
▪Health Effects of Tobacco Products, Including E-vapor Products: Reports with respect to the health effects of smoking have been publicized for many years, including various reports by the U.S. Surgeon General. We believe that the public should be guided by the messages of the U.S. Surgeon General and public health authorities worldwide in making decisions concerning the use of tobacco products, including e-vapor products.
Most jurisdictions within the United States have restricted smoking in public places and some have restricted vaping in public places. Some public health groups have called for, and various jurisdictions have adopted or proposed, bans on smoking and vaping in outdoor places, in private apartments and in cars transporting children. It is not possible to predict the results of ongoing scientific research or the types of future scientific research into the health risks of tobacco exposure and the impact of such research on legislation and regulation.
▪Other Legislation or Governmental Initiatives: In addition to the actions discussed above, other regulatory initiatives affecting the tobacco industry have been adopted or are being considered at the federal level and in a number of state and local jurisdictions. For example, in recent years, legislation has been introduced or enacted at the state or local level to subject tobacco products to various reporting requirements and performance standards; establish educational campaigns relating to tobacco consumption or tobacco control programs or provide additional funding for governmental tobacco control activities; restrict the sale of tobacco products in certain retail establishments and the sale of tobacco products in certain package sizes; prohibit the sale of tobacco products based on environmental concerns; impose responsibility on manufacturers for the disposal, recycling or other treatment of post-consumer goods such as plastic packaging; require tax stamping of smokeless tobacco products; require the use of state tax stamps using data encryption technology; and further restrict the sale, marketing and advertising of cigarettes and other tobacco products. Such legislation may be subject to constitutional or other challenges on various grounds, which may or may not be successful. In addition, if a pandemic or similar health emergency occurs, state and local governments may reimpose additional health and safety requirements for all businesses, which could result in the potential temporary closure of certain businesses and facilities. It is possible that tobacco manufacturing and other facilities and the facilities of our suppliers, our suppliers’ suppliers and our trade partners could be subject to additional government-mandated temporary closures and restrictions.
It is not possible to predict what, if any, additional legislation, regulation or other governmental action will be enacted or implemented (and, if challenged, upheld) relating to the manufacturing, design, packaging, marketing, advertising, sale or use of tobacco products, or the tobacco industry generally. Any such legislation, regulation or other governmental action could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
▪Governmental Investigations: From time to time, we are subject to governmental investigations on a range of matters. For example, we currently are, or recently have been, subject to a number of governmental investigations with respect to our former investment in JUUL, which we divested in March 2023, including the following: (i) the FTC issued a Civil Investigative Demand to us while conducting its antitrust review of our former investment in JUUL seeking information regarding, among other things, our role in the resignation of JUUL’s former chief executive officer and the hiring by JUUL of
any current or former Altria director, executive or employee (see Note 13 for a description of the FTC’s administrative complaint against us and JUUL); (ii) the SEC commenced an investigation relating to our acquisition, disclosures and accountingcontrols in connection with the JUUL investment; and (iii) the New York State Office of the Attorney General and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, separately, issued independent subpoenas to us seeking documents relating to our former investment in and provision of services to JUUL. For a discussion of our disposition of our interest in JUUL, see Note 5.
Additionally, JUUL is currently, or recently has been, under investigation by various federal and state agencies, including the SEC, the FDA and the FTC, and state attorneys general. Such investigations vary in scope but at least some include JUUL’s marketing practices, particularly as such practices relate to youth, and we may be asked in the context of those investigations to provide information concerning our former investment in JUUL or relating to our marketing of Nu Mark LLC e-vapor products.
We are a party to lawsuits initiated by the attorneys general of Alaska, Hawaii and New Mexico relating to our former investment in JUUL. In April 2023, we agreed to settle a lawsuit initiated by the attorney general of Minnesota.
Private Sector Activity on Tobacco Products
A number of retailers, including national chains, have discontinued the sale of all tobacco products, and others have discontinued the sale of e-vapor products. Reasons for the discontinuation include change in corporate policy and, with respect to e-vapor products, reported illnesses and the uncertain regulatory environment. Furthermore, third-party digital platforms, such as app stores, have restricted, and in some cases prohibited, communications with adult tobacco consumers concerning tobacco products. It is possible that if this private sector activity becomes more widespread it could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products
Illicit trade in tobacco products can have an adverse impact on our business. Illicit trade can take many forms, including the sale of counterfeit tobacco products; the sale of tobacco products in the United States that are intended for sale outside the country; the sale of untaxed tobacco products over the Internet and by other means designed to avoid the collection of applicable taxes; and diversion into one taxing jurisdiction of tobacco products intended for sale in another. Counterfeit tobacco products, for example, are manufactured by unknown third parties in unregulated environments. Counterfeit versions of our products can negatively affect adult tobacco consumer experiences with and opinions of those brands. Illicit trade in tobacco products also harms law-abiding wholesalers and retailers by depriving them of lawful sales and undermines the significant investment we have made in legitimate distribution channels. Moreover, illicit trade in tobacco products results in federal, state and local governments losing tax revenues. Losses in tax revenues can cause such governments to take various actions, including increasing excise taxes, imposing legislative or regulatory requirements, or asserting claims against manufacturers of tobacco products or members of the trade channels through which such tobacco products are distributed and sold, each of which may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
We communicate with wholesale and retail trade members regarding illicit trade in tobacco products and how we can help prevent such activities, enforce wholesale and retail trade programs and policies that address illicit trade in tobacco products and, when necessary, litigate to protect our trademarks.
Price, Availability and Quality of Tobacco, Other Raw Materials, Ingredients and Component Parts
Shifts in crops (such as those driven by economic conditions and adverse weather patterns), government restrictions and mandated prices, production control programs, economic trade sanctions, import duties and tariffs, international trade disruptions, inflation, geopolitical instability, climate and environmental changes and disruptions due to man-made or natural disasters may increase the cost or reduce the supply or quality of tobacco, other raw materials, ingredients or component parts used to manufacture our operating companies’ products. Any significant change in such factors could negatively impact our ability to continue manufacturing and marketing existing products, increase our costs or negatively impact adult consumer product acceptability and have a material adverse effect on our business and profitability.
As with other agricultural commodities, tobacco price, quality and availability can be influenced by variations in weather patterns, including those caused by climate change, and macroeconomic conditions and imbalances in supply and demand, among other factors. For varieties of tobacco only available in limited geographies, government-mandated prices and production control programs, political instability or government prohibitions on the import or export of tobacco in certain countries pose additional risks to price, availability and quality. In addition, as consumer demand increases for smoke-free products and decreases for combustible products, the volume of tobacco leaf required for production may decrease, resulting in reduced demand. The reduced demand for tobacco leaf may result in the reduced supply and availability of domestic tobacco as growers divert resources to other crops or cease farming. The unavailability or unacceptability of any one or more particular varieties of tobacco leaf necessary to manufacture our operating companies’ products could negatively impact our ability to continue marketing existing products or impact adult tobacco consumer product acceptability, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and profitability.
Current macroeconomic conditions and geopolitical instability (including the cumulative effects of high inflation over the past several quarters, high gas prices, rising interest rates, labor shortages, supply and demand imbalances and the Russian invasion of Ukraine) have caused and continue to cause worldwide disruptions and delays to supply chains and commercial markets, which limit access to, and increase the cost of, raw materials, ingredients and component parts (for example, tobacco leaf and resins and aluminum used in our packaging). We have implemented and continue to implement various strategies to help secure sufficient supplies of raw materials, ingredients and component parts for production.
In addition, government taxes, restrictions and prohibitions on the sale and use of certain products may limit access to, and increase the costs of, raw materials and component parts and, potentially, impede our ability to sell certain of our operating companies’ products. For example, additional taxes on the use of certain single-use plastics have been proposed by the U.S. Congress, which, if passed, could increase the costs of, and impair our ability to, source certain materials used in the packaging for our operating companies’ products.
We work to mitigate these risks by maintaining inventory levels of certain tobacco varieties that cover several years, purchasing raw materials, ingredients and component parts from disperse geographic regions throughout the world and entering into long-term contracts with some of our tobacco growers and direct material suppliers. To date, the impact on us of changes in the price, availability and quality of tobacco, other raw materials, ingredients and component parts has not been material. However, the effects of the current macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions on prices, availability and quality of such items may continue, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
Timing of Sales
In the ordinary course of business, we are subject to many influences that can impact the timing of sales to customers, including the timing of holidays and other annual or special events, the timing of promotions, customer incentive programs and customer inventory programs, as well as the actual or speculated timing of pricing actions and tax-driven price increases.
Operating Results
The following table provides reconciliations of reported OCI to adjusted OCI for our reportable segments, all other category and total OCI and provides the related OCI margins:
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2023
(in millions)
Smokeable Products
Oral Tobacco Products
All Other
Total
Net revenues
$
10,910
$
1,308
$
9
$
12,227
Excise taxes
(1,969)
(57)
—
(2,026)
Revenues net of excise taxes
$
8,941
$
1,251
$
9
$
10,201
Reported OCI
$
5,349
$
859
$
(13)
$
6,195
Tobacco and health and certain other litigation items
52
—
—
52
Adjusted OCI
$
5,401
$
859
$
(13)
$
6,247
Reported OCI margin (1)
59.8
%
68.7
%
(100%+)
60.7
%
Adjusted OCI margin (1)
60.4
%
68.7
%
(100%+)
61.2
%
(1) Reported and adjusted OCI margins are calculated as reported and adjusted OCI, respectively, divided by revenues net of excise taxes.
The following table summarizes operating results, includes reported and adjusted OCI margins and provides a reconciliation of reported OCI to adjusted OCI for our smokeable products segment:
Operating Results
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
Change
2023
2022
Change
Net revenues
$
10,910
$
11,138
(2.0)
%
$
5,820
$
5,873
(0.9)
%
Excise taxes
(1,969)
(2,181)
(1,041)
(1,137)
Revenues net of excise taxes
$
8,941
$
8,957
$
4,779
$
4,736
Reported OCI
$
5,349
$
5,321
0.5
%
$
2,846
$
2,762
3.0
%
NPM Adjustment Items
—
(60)
—
—
Tobacco and health and certain other litigation items
52
50
40
38
Adjusted OCI
$
5,401
$
5,311
1.7
%
$
2,886
$
2,800
3.1
%
Reported OCI margins (1)
59.8
%
59.4
%
0.4 pp
59.6
%
58.3
%
1.3 pp
Adjusted OCI margins (1)
60.4
%
59.3
%
1.1 pp
60.4
%
59.1
%
1.3 pp
(1) Reported and adjusted OCI margins are calculated as reported and adjusted OCI, respectively, divided by revenues net of excise taxes.
Six Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with Six Months Ended June 30, 2022
Net revenues, which include excise taxes billed to customers, decreased $228 million (2.0%), due primarily to lower shipment volume ($1,196 million), partially offset by higher pricing ($960 million), which includes higher promotional investments.
Reported OCI increased $28 million (0.5%), due primarily to higher pricing, which includes higher promotional investments, partially offset by lower shipment volume ($741 million), higher per unit settlement charges, NPM Adjustment Items in 2022 ($60 million) and higher costs.
Adjusted OCI increased $90 million (1.7%), due primarily to as higher pricing, which includes higher promotional investments, partially offset by lower shipment volume, higher per unit settlement charges and higher costs.
Three Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with Three Months Ended June 30, 2022
Net revenues, which include excise taxes billed to customers, decreased $53 million (0.9%), due primarily to lower shipment volume ($542 million), partially offset by higher pricing ($488 million), which includes higher promotional investments.
Reported and adjusted OCI increased $84 million (3.0%) and $86 million (3.1%), respectively, due primarily to higher pricing, which includes higher promotional investments, partially offset by lower shipment volume ($337 million), higher per unit settlement charges and higher costs.
The following table summarizes our smokeable products segment’s shipment volume performance:
Shipment Volume
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(sticks in millions)
2023
2022
Change
2022
2021
Change
Cigarettes:
Marlboro
34,902
38,325
(8.9)
%
18,506
20,035
(7.6)
%
Other premium
1,779
1,954
(9.0)
%
954
1,017
(6.2)
%
Discount
2,149
2,847
(24.5)
%
1,101
1,457
(24.4)
%
Total cigarettes
38,830
43,126
(10.0)
%
20,561
22,509
(8.7)
%
Cigars:
Black & Mild
908
865
5.0
%
465
432
7.6
%
Other
2
2
—
%
1
1
—
%
Total cigars
910
867
5.0
%
466
433
7.6
%
Total smokeable products
39,740
43,993
(9.7)
%
21,027
22,942
(8.3)
%
Note: Cigarettes shipment volume includes Marlboro; Other premium brands, such as Virginia Slims, Parliament and Benson & Hedges; and Discount brands, which include L&M, Basic and Chesterfield. Cigarettes volume includes units sold as well as promotional units but excludes units sold for distribution to Puerto Rico, U.S. Territories to overseas military and by Philip Morris Duty Free Inc., none of which, individually or in the aggregate, is material to our smokeable products segment.
The following table summarizes our cigarettes retail share performance:
Retail Share
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
2023
2022
Percentage Point Change
2023
2022
Percentage Point Change
Cigarettes:
Marlboro
42.0
%
42.7
%
(0.7)
42.1
%
42.7
%
(0.6)
Other premium
2.3
2.3
—
2.3
2.3
—
Discount
2.7
3.2
(0.5)
2.5
3.2
(0.7)
Total cigarettes
47.0
%
48.2
%
(1.2)
46.9
%
48.2
%
(1.3)
Note: Retail share results for cigarettes are based on data from Circana, Inc. and Circana Group, L.P. (“Circana”), as well as, Management Science Associates, Inc. (“MSA”). Circana is a newly formed company reflecting the recent merger of IRI and NPD Group, Inc. Circana maintains a blended retail service that uses a sample of stores and certain wholesale shipments to project market share and depict share trends. Similar to prior reporting, this service tracks sales in the food, drug, mass merchandisers, convenience, military, dollar store and club trade classes. For other trade classes selling cigarettes, retail share is based on shipments from wholesalers to retailers through the Store Tracking Analytical Reporting System (“STARS”), as provided by MSA. This service is not designed to capture sales through other channels, including the internet, direct mail and some illicitly tax-advantaged outlets. It is retail services’ standard practice to periodically refresh their retail scan services, which could restate retail share results that were previously released in these services.
For a discussion of volume trends and factors that impact volume and retail share performance, see Tobacco Space - Business Environment above.
Six Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with the Six Months Ended June 30, 2022
Our smokeable products segment’s reported domestic cigarettes shipment volume decreased 10.0%, driven primarily by the industry’s decline rate, retail share losses (both of which were impacted by macroeconomic pressures on adult tobacco consumers’ disposable income), partially offset by calendar differences. When adjusted for calendar differences and trade inventory movements, our smokeable products segment’s reported domestic cigarettes shipment volume decreased by an estimated 10.5%. When adjusted for trade inventory movements, calendar differences and other factors, total estimated domestic cigarette industry volume decreased by an estimated 8%.
Shipments of premium cigarettes accounted for 94.5% and 93.4% of our smokeable products segment’s reported domestic cigarettes shipment volume for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Marlboro’sretail share of the total cigarette category decreased 0.7 share points to 42.0%, primarily due to increased macroeconomic pressures on adult tobacco consumers’ disposable income and increased competitive activity.
Total cigarettes industry discount segment retail share increased 1.8 share points to 28.2%, primarily due to increased macroeconomic pressures on adult tobacco consumers’ disposable income and increased competitive activity.
Three Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with the Three Months Ended June 30, 2022
Our smokeable products segment’s reported domestic cigarettes shipment volume decreased 8.7%, driven primarily by the industry’s decline rate and retail share losses (both of which were impacted by macroeconomic pressures on adult tobacco consumers’ disposable income), partially offset by trade inventory movements. When adjusted for trade inventory movements, our smokeable products segment’s reported domestic cigarettes shipment volume decreased by an estimated 10%. When adjusted for trade inventory movements and other factors, total estimated domestic cigarette industry volume decreased by an estimated 7.5%.
Shipments of premium cigarettes accounted for 94.6% and 93.5% of our smokeable products segment’s reported domestic cigarettes shipment volume for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Marlboro’sretail share of the total cigarette category decreased 0.6 share points to 42.1%, primarily due to increased macroeconomic pressures on adult tobacco consumers’ disposable income and increased competitive activity. Marlboro’s retail share increased 0.1 share point from the first quarter of 2023. Additionally, Marlboro’s share of the premium segment grew to 58.6%, an increase of 0.5 share points versus the prior year and 0.1 share point sequentially.
Total cigarettes industry discount segment retail share increased 1.8 share points to 28.2%, primarily due to increased macroeconomic pressures on adult tobacco consumers’ disposable income and increased competitive activity. Total cigarettes industry discount segment retail share was unchanged from the first quarter of 2023.
For a discussion regarding discount product dynamics in 2023 and the economic conditions, including a high inflationary environment, that impact adult tobacco consumer purchasing behavior, see Operating Results by Business Segment - Tobacco Space - Business Environment - Summary above.
Pricing Actions
PM USA and Middleton executed the following pricing and promotional allowance actions during 2023 and 2022:
▪Effective June 11, 2023, Middleton increased various list prices across substantially all of its cigar brands resulting in a weighted-average increase of approximately $0.15 per five-pack.
▪Effective April 23, 2023, PM USA increased the list price of Marlboro, L&M and Basic by $0.15 per pack. PM USA also increased the list price of all its other cigarette brands by $0.20 per pack.
▪Effective January 22, 2023, PM USA increased the list price of Marlboro, L&M, Basic and Chesterfield by $0.15 per pack. PM USA also increased the list price of all its other cigarette brands by $0.20 per pack.
▪Effective October 16, 2022, PM USA increased the list price of Marlboro, L&M, Basic and Chesterfield by $0.15 per pack. PM USA also increased the list price of all its other cigarette brands by $0.20 per pack.
▪Effective July 17, 2022, PM USA increased the list price on all of its cigarette brands by $0.15 per pack.
▪Effective May 22, 2022, Middleton increased various list prices across substantially all of its cigar brands resulting in a weighted-average increase of approximately $0.17 per five-pack.
▪Effective April 24, 2022, PM USA increased the list price of Marlboro, L&M, Basic and Chesterfield by $0.15 per pack. PM USA also increased the list price of all its other cigarette brands by $0.20 per pack.
▪Effective January 9, 2022, Middleton increased various list prices across substantially all of its cigar brands resulting in a weighted-average increase of approximately $0.13 per five-pack.
In addition:
▪Effective July 23, 2023, PM USA increased the list price of Marlboro, L&M and Basic by $0.16 per pack. PM USA also increased the list price of all its other cigarette brands by $0.21 per pack.
The following table summarizes operating results, includes reported and adjusted OCI margins, and provides a reconciliation of reported OCI to adjusted OCI for our oral tobacco products segment:
Operating Results
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(in millions)
2023
2022
Change
2023
2022
Change
Net revenues
$
1,308
$
1,278
2.3
%
$
680
$
665
2.3
%
Excise taxes
(57)
(61)
(29)
(32)
Revenues net of excise taxes
$
1,251
$
1,217
$
651
$
633
Reported and Adjusted OCI
$
859
$
837
2.6
%
$
443
$
430
3.0
%
Reported and Adjusted OCI margins (1)
68.7
%
68.8
%
(0.1) pp
68.0
%
67.9
%
0.1 pp
(1) Reported and adjusted OCI margins are calculated as reported and adjusted OCI, respectively, divided by revenues net of excise taxes.
Six Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with Six Months Ended June 30, 2022
Net revenues, which include excise taxes billed to customers, increased $30 million (2.3%), due primarily to higher pricing ($79 million), which includes higher promotional investments, partially offset by lower shipment volume and a higher percentage of on! shipment volume relative to MST (“volume/mix”) versus 2022 ($50 million).
Reported and adjusted OCI increased $22 million (2.6%), due primarily to higher pricing, which includes higher promotional investments, partially offset by lower volume/mix ($56 million).
Three Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with Three Months Ended June 30, 2022
Net revenues, which include excise taxes billed to customers, increased $15 million (2.3%), due primarily to higher pricing ($40 million), which includes higher promotional investments, partially offset by lower volume/mix ($28 million).
Reported and adjusted OCI increased $13 million (3.0%), due primarily to higher pricing, which includes higher promotional investments, partially offset by lower volume/mix ($31 million).
Shipment Volume and Retail Share Results
The following table summarizes our oral tobacco products segment’s shipment volume performance:
Shipment Volume
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
(cans and packs in millions)
2023
2022
Change
2023
2022
Change
Copenhagen
223.9
238.3
(6.0)
%
114.9
123.1
(6.7)
%
Skoal
82.9
90.8
(8.7)
%
42.6
46.9
(9.2)
%
on!
55.2
38.6
43.0
%
30.0
20.3
47.8
%
Other
33.0
34.4
(4.1)
%
16.9
17.7
(4.5)
%
Total oral tobacco products
395.0
402.1
(1.8)
%
204.4
208.0
(1.7)
%
Note: Other primarily includes Red Seal and Husky. Oral tobacco products shipment volume includes cans and packs sold, as well as promotional units, but excludes international volume, which is currently not material to our oral tobacco products segment. New types of oral tobacco products, as well as new packaging configurations of existing oral tobacco products, may or may not be equivalent to existing MST products on a can-for-can basis. To calculate volumes of cans and packs shipped, one pack of snus or one can of oral nicotine pouches, irrespective of the number of pouches in the pack or can, is assumed to be equivalent to one can of MST.
The following table summarizes our oral tobacco products segment’s retail share performance (excluding international volume):
Retail Share
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
For the Three Months Ended June 30,
2023
2022
Percentage Point Change
2023
2022
Percentage Point Change
Copenhagen
24.8
%
27.7
%
(2.9)
24.3
%
27.3
%
(3.0)
Skoal
10.1
11.6
(1.5)
9.9
11.5
(1.6)
on!
6.7
4.5
2.2
7.0
4.9
2.1
Other
3.0
3.1
(0.1)
2.8
3.1
(0.3)
Total oral tobacco products
44.6
%
46.9
%
(2.3)
44.0
%
46.8
%
(2.8)
Note: Our oral tobacco products segment’s retail share results exclude international volume, which is currently not material to our oral tobacco products segment. Retail share results for oral tobacco products are based on data from Circana, a tracking service that uses a sample of stores to project market share and depict share trends. This service tracks sales in the food, drug, mass merchandisers, convenience, military, dollar store and club trade classes on the number of cans and packs sold. Oral tobacco products are defined by Circana as MST, snus and oral nicotine pouches. New types of oral tobacco products, as well as new packaging configurations of existing oral tobacco products, may or may not be equivalent to existing MST products on a can-for-can basis. For example, one pack of snus or one can of oral nicotine pouches, irrespective of the number of pouches in the pack or can, is assumed to be equivalent to one can of MST. Because this service represents retail share performance only in key trade channels, it should not be considered a precise measurement of actual retail share. It is retail services’ standard practice to periodically refresh their retail scan services, which could restate retail share results that were previously released in these services.
For a discussion of volume trends and factors that impact volume and retail share performance, see Tobacco Space - Business Environment above.
Six Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with Six Months Ended June 30, 2022
Our oral tobacco products segment’s reported domestic shipment volume decreased 1.8%, driven primarily by retail share losses and other factors, partially offset by the industry’s growth rate, calendar differences and trade inventory movements. When adjusted for calendar differences and trade inventory movements, our oral tobacco products segment’s reported domestic shipment volume decreased by an estimated 2.5%.
Total oral tobacco products category industry volume increased by an estimated 2.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2023, primarily driven by growth in oral nicotine pouches, partially offset by declines in MST volumes.
Our oral tobacco products segment’s retail share was 44.6%, and Copenhagen continued to be the leading oral tobacco brand with a retail share of 24.8%. In the oral tobacco products segment, share declines for MST products were primarily driven by the share growth of oral nicotine pouches.
Three Months Ended June 30, 2023 Compared with Three Months Ended June 30, 2022
Our oral tobacco products segment’s reported domestic shipment volume decreased 1.7%, driven primarily by retail share losses, partially offset by the industry’s growth rate, trade inventory movements and calendar differences. When adjusted for trade inventory movements and calendar differences, our oral tobacco products segment’s reported domestic shipment volume decreased by an estimated 2.5%.
Our oral tobacco products segment’s retail share was 44.0%, and Copenhagen continued to be the leading oral tobacco brand with a retail share of 24.3%. on!’s retail share increased 0.5 share points from the first quarter of 2023.In the oral tobacco products segment, share declines for MST products were primarily driven by the share growth of oral nicotine pouches.
The U.S. nicotine pouch category grew to 29.1% of the U.S. oral tobacco category, an increase of 8.4 share points. In addition, on!’s share of the nicotine pouch category grew to 24.0%, an increase of 2.1 share points.
Pricing Actions
USSTC executed the following pricing actions during 2023 and 2022:
▪Effective April 25, 2023, USSTC increased the list price on its Copenhagen popular price products, Red Seal and Husky brands by $0.09 per can. In addition, USSTC increased the list price on its Skoal brands and on the balance of its Copenhagen brandsby $0.10 per can.
▪Effective January 24, 2023, USSTC increased the list price on its Copenhagen,Skoal, Red Seal and Husky brands by $0.09 per can.
▪Effective July 26, 2022, USSTC increased the list price on its Copenhagen popular price products by $0.13 per can. USSTC also decreased the list price on select Copenhagen brands by $0.11 per can. In addition, USSTC increased the list price on its Skoal and Red Seal brands and the balance of its Copenhagen brands by $0.09 per can and increased the list price on its Husky brand by $0.12 per can.
▪Effective May 24, 2022, USSTC increased the list price on its Copenhagen, Skoal and Red Seal brands by $0.09 per can. USSTC also increased the list price on its Husky brand by $0.12 per can.
▪Effective February 22, 2022, USSTC increased the list price on its Copenhagen, Skoal and Red Seal brands by $0.08 per can. USSTC also increased the list price on its Husky brand by $0.12 per can.
In addition:
•Effective July 23, 2023, Helix increased the list price on its on! brand by $0.09 per can.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We are a holding company that is primarily dependent on the capital resources of our subsidiaries to satisfy our liquidity requirements. Our access to the operating cash flows of our wholly owned subsidiaries consists of cash received from the payment of dividends and distributions, and the payment of interest on intercompany loans. At June 30, 2023, our significant wholly owned subsidiaries were not limited by contractual obligations in their ability to pay cash dividends or make other distributions with respect to their equity interests. In addition, we receive cash dividends on our interest in ABI and will continue to do so as long as ABI pays dividends.
At June 30, 2023, we had $0.9 billion of cash and cash equivalents. In addition to having access to the operating cash flows of our wholly owned subsidiaries, our capital resources include access to credit markets in the form of commercial paper, availability under our $3.0 billion senior unsecured 5-year revolving credit agreement (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), which we use for general corporate purposes, and access to credit markets through the issuance of long-term senior unsecured notes. For additional information, see Capital Markets and Other Matters below.
In addition to funding current operations, we primarily use our net cash from operating activities for payment of dividends, share repurchases under our share repurchase programs, repayment of debt, acquisitions of or investments in businesses and assets, and capital expenditures.
We believe our cash and cash equivalents balance, along with our future cash flows from operations, capacity for borrowings under the Credit Agreement and access to credit and capital markets, provide sufficient liquidity to meet the needs of our business operations and to satisfy our projected cash requirements for the next 12 months and the foreseeable future.
Capital Markets and Other Matters
Credit Ratings - Our cost and terms of financing and our access to commercial paper markets may be impacted by applicable credit ratings. The impact of credit ratings on the cost of borrowings under the Credit Agreement is discussed in Note 11. Debt to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 (“Note 11”).
At June 30, 2023, the credit ratings and outlook for our indebtedness by major credit rating agencies were:
Short-term Debt
Long-term Debt
Outlook
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”)
P-2
A3
Stable
Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”)
A-2
BBB
Positive (1)
Fitch Ratings Inc.
F2
BBB
Stable
(1) On June 16, 2023, S&P changed its outlook for our indebtedness to Positive from Stable.
Credit Lines - From time to time, we have short-term borrowing needs to meet our working capital requirements arising from the timing of annual MSA payments, quarterly income tax payments and quarterly dividend payments, and generally use our commercial paper program to meet those needs.
Credit Agreement - At June 30, 2023, we had availability under our Credit Agreement for borrowings of up to an aggregate principal amount of $3.0 billion, and we were in compliance with the covenants in our Credit Agreement. We expect to continue to meet the covenants in our Credit Agreement. We monitor the credit quality of our bank group and do not know of any potential non-performing credit provider in that group. For further discussion on short-term borrowings, see Note 11.
Term Loan Facility - In June 2023, we entered into a $2.0 billion term loan facility and borrowed the full amount available to fund a portion of the cash payments paid at closing in connection with the NJOY Transaction. We repaid the term loan facility in full in July 2023. For further details on the term loan facility, see Note 11.
Long-Term Debt - At June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, our total long-term debt was $25.2 billion and $26.7 billion, respectively. In May 2023, we repaid in full our 2.950% senior unsecured notes in the aggregate principal amount of $218 million at maturity. In addition, in February 2023, we repaid in full our 1.000% senior unsecured Euro notes in the aggregate principal amount of $1.3 billion (€1.25 billion) at maturity. As a result of the repayments and changes in the Euro exchange rate, the weighted-average coupon interest rate on our total long-term debt increased to approximately 4.2% at June 30, 2023 from approximately 4.0% at December 31, 2022. For further details on long-term debt, see Note 11.
At June 30, 2023, our debt-to-Consolidated net earnings and debt-to-Consolidated EBITDA ratios were calculated as follows:
For the Twelve Months Ended June 30, 2023
(in millions)
Consolidated net earnings
$
6,818
Interest and other debt expense, net
983
Provision for income taxes
1,578
Depreciation and amortization
231
EBITDA
9,610
(Income) loss from investments in equity securities and noncontrolling interests, net
2,365
(Gain) loss on Cronos-related financial instruments
1
Dividends from less than 50% owned affiliates
163
Consolidated EBITDA
$
12,139
Short-term borrowings (1)
$
2,000
Current portion of long-term debt (1)
1,121
Long-term debt (1)
24,074
Total Debt
$
27,195
Total Debt / Consolidated net earnings
4.0
Total Debt / Consolidated EBITDA
2.2
(1) Balance at June 30, 2023.
Guarantees and Other Similar Matters - As discussed in Note 13, we had unused letters of credit obtained in the ordinary course of business and guarantees (including third-party guarantees) outstanding at June 30, 2023. From time to time, we also issue lines of credit to affiliated entities. In addition, as discussed below in Supplemental Guarantor Financial Information and in Note 11, PM USA has issued guarantees relating to our obligations under our outstanding debt securities, borrowings under the Credit Agreement and amounts outstanding under the commercial paper program. These items have not had, and are not expected to have, a significant impact on our liquidity.
Payments Under State Settlement Agreements and FDA Regulation - As discussed in Note 13, PM USA has entered into State Settlement Agreements with the states, the District of Columbia and certain U.S. territories that call for certain payments. In addition, PM USA, Middleton and USSTC are subject to quarterly user fees imposed by the FDA as a result of the FSPTCA. For further discussion of the resolutions of certain disputes with states and territories related to the NPM adjustment provision under the MSA, see Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation - NPM Adjustment Disputes in Note 13.
Based on current agreements, estimated market share, estimated annual industry volume decline rates and inflation rates, the estimated amounts that we may charge to cost of sales for payments related to State Settlement Agreements and FDA user fees are $3.9 billion on average for the next three years. These amounts exclude the potential impact of any NPM Adjustment Items.
The estimated amounts due under the State Settlement Agreements charged to cost of sales in each year are generally paid in April of the following year. The amounts charged to cost of sales for FDA user fees are generally paid in the quarter in which the fees are incurred. We paid approximately $3.4 billion and $3.7 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, in connection with the State Settlement Agreements and FDA user fees, primarily all of which was paid in the second quarter of each period. We recorded $2.0 billion and $2.1 billion of charges to cost of sales for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $1.0 billion and $1.1 billion of charges to cost of sales for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, in connection with the State Settlement Agreements and FDA user fees. As previously stated, the payments due under the terms of the State Settlement Agreements and FDA user fees are subject to adjustment for several factors, including volume, operating income, inflation and certain contingent events and, in general, are allocated based
on each manufacturer’s market share. The future payment amounts discussed above are estimates, and actual payment amounts will differ to the extent underlying assumptions differ from actual future results. For further discussion on the potential impact of inflation on future payments, see Operating Results by Business Segment - Tobacco Space - State Settlement Agreements.
Litigation-Related Deposits and Payments - With respect to certain adverse verdicts currently on appeal, to obtain stays of judgments pending appeals, as of June 30, 2023, PM USA had posted appeal bonds totaling $34 million, which have been collateralized with restricted cash that is included in assets on our condensed consolidated balance sheet.
Litigation is subject to uncertainty, and an adverse outcome or settlement of litigation could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows or financial position in a particular fiscal quarter or fiscal year, as more fully disclosed in Note 13.
NJOY Acquisition - On June 1, 2023, we acquired NJOY Holdings and funded the NJOY Transaction cash payments at closing of approximately $2.75 billion (net of cash acquired), which is subject to closing adjustments, through a combination of a $2.0 billion term loan facility, the issuance of commercial paper and available cash. We may also be obligated to pay up to $500 million in additional cash payments that are contingent on receipt of FDA authorizations with respect to certain NJOY products. For further discussion, see Note 2. Acquisition of NJOY to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1.
IQOS Purchase Agreement - In 2022, we entered into an agreement with PMI to, among other things, transition and ultimately conclude our relationship with respect to the IQOS System in the United States. We received a payment of $1.0 billion in 2022 and an additional payment of approximately $1.8 billion (including interest) in July 2023.
Equity and Dividends
During the first six months of 2023 and 2022, we paid dividends of $3,365 million and $3,279 million, respectively, an increase of 2.6%, reflecting a higher dividend rate, partially offset by fewer shares outstanding as a result of shares we repurchased under our share repurchase programs. Our current annualized dividend rate is $3.76 per share. In March 2023, we established a new progressive dividend goal that targets mid-single digits dividend growth annually. Future dividend payments remain subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors (“Board of Directors” or “Board”).
For a discussion of our share repurchase programs, see Note 1. Background and Basis of Presentation to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 and Part II, Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds of this Form 10-Q.
Financial Review
Cash Provided by/Used in Operating Activities
During the first six months of 2023, net cash provided by operating activities was $3,108 million compared with $2,561 million during the first six months of 2022. This increase was due primarily to lower State Settlement Agreements and income tax payments.
We had a working capital deficit at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. Our management believes that we have the ability to fund working capital deficits with cash provided by operating activities, borrowings under the Credit Agreement and access to the credit and capital markets.
Cash Provided by/Used in Investing Activities
During the first six months of 2023, net cash used in investing activities was $2,858 million compared with $150 million during the first six months of 2022. This increase was due primarily to the NJOY Transaction.
Cash Provided by/Used in Financing Activities
During the first six months of 2023, net cash used in financing activities was $3,418 million compared with $4,373 million during the first six months of 2022. This decrease was due primarily to the following:
▪proceeds from the term loan facility; and
▪lower repurchases of common stock in 2023;
partially offset by:
▪repayment of $1.3 billion in full of our 1.000% senior unsecured Euro notes at maturity in February 2023;
▪repayment of $0.2 billion in full of our 2.950% senior unsecured notes at maturity in May 2023; and
▪higher dividends paid in 2023.
New Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted
See Note 14. New Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 for a discussion of issued accounting guidance applicable to, but not yet adopted by, us.
PM USA (the “Guarantor”), which is a 100% owned subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc. (the “Parent”), has guaranteed the Parent’s obligations under its outstanding debt securities, borrowings under its Credit Agreement and amounts outstanding under its commercial paper program (the “Guarantees”). Pursuant to the Guarantees, the Guarantor fully and unconditionally guarantees, as primary obligor, the payment and performance of the Parent’s obligations under the guaranteed debt instruments (the “Obligations”), subject to release under certain customary circumstances as noted below.
The Guarantees provide that the Guarantor guarantees the punctual payment when due, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, of the Obligations. The liability of the Guarantor under the Guarantees is absolute and unconditional irrespective of: any lack of validity, enforceability or genuineness of any provision of any agreement or instrument relating thereto; any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Obligations, or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from any agreement or instrument relating thereto; any exchange, release or non-perfection of any collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from any other guarantee, for all or any of the Obligations; or any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Parent or the Guarantor.
Under applicable provisions of federal bankruptcy law or comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer law, the Guarantees could be voided, or claims in respect of the Guarantees could be subordinated to the debts of the Guarantor, if, among other things, the Guarantor, at the time it incurred the Obligations evidenced by the Guarantees:
▪received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration therefor; and
▪either:
▪was insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of such occurrence;
▪was engaged in a business or transaction for which the assets of the Guarantor constituted unreasonably small capital; or
▪intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature.
In addition, under such circumstances, the payment of amounts by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantees could be voided and required to be returned to the Guarantor, or to a fund for the benefit of the Guarantor, as the case may be.
The measures of insolvency for purposes of the foregoing considerations will vary depending upon the law applied in any proceeding with respect to the foregoing. Generally, however, the Guarantor would be considered insolvent if:
▪the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, was greater than the saleable value of its assets, all at a fair valuation;
▪the present fair saleable value of its assets was less than the amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they become absolute and mature; or
▪it could not pay its debts as they become due.
To the extent the Guarantees are voided as a fraudulent conveyance or held unenforceable for any other reason, the holders of the guaranteed debt obligations would not have any claim against the Guarantor and would be creditors solely of the Parent.
The obligations of the Guarantor under the Guarantees are limited to the maximum amount as will not result in the Guarantor’s obligations under the Guarantees constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of the Guarantor that are relevant under Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to the Guarantees. For this purpose, “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
The Guarantor will be unconditionally released and discharged from the Obligations upon the earliest to occur of:
▪the date, if any, on which the Guarantor consolidates with or merges into the Parent or any successor;
▪the date, if any, on which the Parent or any successor consolidates with or merges into the Guarantor;
▪the payment in full of the Obligations pertaining to such Guarantees; and
▪the rating of the Parent’s long-term senior unsecured debt by S&P of A or higher.
The Parent is a holding company; therefore, its access to the operating cash flows of its wholly owned subsidiaries consists of cash received from the payment of dividends and distributions, and the payment of interest on intercompany loans by its subsidiaries. Neither the Guarantor nor other 100% owned subsidiaries of the Parent that are not guarantors of the debt (“Non-
Guarantor Subsidiaries”) are limited by contractual obligations on their ability to pay cash dividends or make other distributions with respect to their equity interests.
The following tables include summarized financial information for the Parent and the Guarantor. Transactions between the Parent and the Guarantor (including investment and intercompany balances as well as equity earnings) have been eliminated. The Parent’s and the Guarantor’s intercompany balances with Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries have been presented separately. This summarized financial information is not intended to present the financial position or results of operations of the Parent or the Guarantor in accordance with GAAP.
Summarized Balance Sheets
(in millions of dollars)
Parent
Guarantor
June 30, 2023
December 31, 2022
June 30, 2023
December 31, 2022
Assets
Due from Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
$
—
$
—
$
288
$
278
Other current assets
1,185
4,086
745
762
Total current assets
$
1,185
$
4,086
$
1,033
$
1,040
Due from Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
$
6,561
$
4,790
$
—
$
—
Other assets
9,414
9,090
1,422
1,435
Total non-current assets
$
15,975
$
13,880
$
1,422
$
1,435
Liabilities
Due to Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
$
1,215
$
2,342
$
999
$
912
Other current liabilities
5,244
3,751
2,690
3,925
Total current liabilities
$
6,459
$
6,093
$
3,689
$
4,837
Total non-current liabilities
$
26,226
$
26,591
$
626
$
633
Summarized Statements of Earnings (Losses)
(in millions of dollars)
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2023
Parent(1)
Guarantor (2)
Net revenues
$
—
$
10,331
Gross profit
—
5,666
Net earnings (losses)
(11,093)
3,788
(1) For the six months ended June 30, 2023, net earnings (losses) include an approximate $10.8 billion loss related to the cancellation of certain interests in a non-guarantor subsidiary, $125 million of intercompany interest income from non-guarantor subsidiaries and $175 million of interest expense from non-guarantor subsidiaries.
(2) For the six months ended June 30, 2023, net earnings (losses) include $115 million of intercompany interest income from non-guarantor subsidiaries.
Cautionary Factors That May Affect Future Results
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
This Form 10-Q contains statements concerning our expectations, plans, objectives, future financial performance and other statements that are not historical facts. You can identify these forward-looking statements by use of words such as “strategy,” “expects,” “continues,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “will,” “estimates,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “projects,” “goals,” “objectives,” “guidance,” “targets” and other words of similar meaning. You can also identify them by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts.
We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will be realized, although we believe we have been prudent in our plans, estimates and assumptions. Achievement of future results is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may prove to be inaccurate. Should known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying estimates or assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or projected. You should bear this in mind as you consider our forward-looking statements and whether to invest in or remain invested in our securities. In connection with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, we are identifying important factors that, individually or in the aggregate, could cause actual results and outcomes, including with respect to our ability to achieve our Vision, to differ materially from those contained in, or implied by, any forward-looking statements we made. Any such statement is qualified by reference to the following cautionary statements. We elaborate on these important factors and the risks we face throughout this Form 10-Q, particularly in the “Executive Summary” and “Business Environment” sections preceding our discussion of the operating results of our segments above, in Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors in this Form 10-Q, and in our other publicly filed reports, including our 2022 Form 10-K and our First Quarter Form 10-Q. These factors and risks include the following:
▪our inability to anticipate and respond to changes in adult tobacco consumer preferences and purchase behavior;
▪our inability to compete effectively;
▪the growth of the e-vapor category and other innovative tobacco products, including oral nicotine pouches, contributing to reductions in cigarette and MST consumption levels and shipment volume;
▪our failure to commercialize innovative products, including tobacco products that may reduce health risks relative to other tobacco products and appeal to adult tobacco consumers;
▪changes, including in macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions (including inflation), that result in shifts in adult tobacco consumer disposable income and purchasing behavior, including choosing lower-priced and discount brands or products;
▪unfavorable outcomes with respect to litigation proceedings or any governmental investigations;
▪the risks associated with significant federal, state and local government actions, including FDA regulatory actions, and various private sector actions;
▪increases in tobacco product-related taxes;
▪our failure to complete or manage successfully strategic transactions, including the NJOY Transaction and other acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and investments in third parties, or realize the anticipated benefits of such transactions;
▪significant changes in price, availability or quality of tobacco, other raw materials or component parts, including as a result of changes in macroeconomic, climate and geopolitical conditions;
▪our reliance on a few significant facilities and a small number of key suppliers, distributors and distribution chain service providers and the risks associated with an extended disruption at a facility or in service by a supplier, distributor or distribution chain service provider;
▪the risk that we may be required to write down intangible assets, including trademarks and goodwill, due to impairment;
▪the risk that we could decide, or be required to, recall products;
▪the various risks related to health epidemics and pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and the measures that international, federal, state and local governments, agencies, law enforcement and health authorities implement to address them;
▪our inability to attract and retain a highly skilled and diverse workforce due to the decreasing social acceptance of tobacco usage, tobacco control actions and other factors;
▪the risks associated with the various U.S. and foreign laws and regulations to which we are subject due to our international business operations;
▪the risks concerning a challenge to our tax positions, an increase in the income tax rate or other changes to federal or state tax laws;
▪the risks associated with legal and regulatory requirements related to climate change and other environmental sustainability matters;
▪disruption and uncertainty in the credit and capital markets, including risk of losing access to these markets;
▪a downgrade or potential downgrade of our credit ratings;
▪our inability to attract investors due to increasing investor expectations of our performance relating to environmental, social and governance factors;
▪the failure of our, or our key service providers’ or key suppliers’, information systems to function as intended, or cyber-attacks or security breaches;
▪our failure to comply with personal data protection and privacy laws;
▪the risk that the expected benefits of our investment in ABI may not materialize in the expected manner or timeframe or at all, including due to macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions; foreign currency exchange rates; ABI’s business results; ABI’s share price; impairment losses on the value of our investment; our incurrence of additional tax liabilities related to our investment in ABI; and potential reductions in the number of directors that we can have appointed to the ABI board of directors; and
▪the risks associated with our investment in Cronos, including legal, regulatory and reputational risks and the risk that the expected benefits of the transaction may not materialize in the expected timeframe or at all.
You should understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all factors and risks. Consequently, you should not consider the foregoing list to be complete. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that we may make from time to time except as required by applicable law.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Interest Rate Risk
The fair value of our long-term debt, all of which is fixed-rate debt, is subject to fluctuations resulting primarily from changes in market interest rates. The following table provides the fair value of our long-term debt and the change in fair value based on a 1% increase or decrease in market interest rates at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:
(in billions)
June 30, 2023
December 31, 2022
Fair value
$
22.3
$
22.9
Decrease in fair value from a 1% increase in market interest rates
1.8
1.7
Increase in fair value from a 1% decrease in market interest rates
2.1
2.0
We expect interest rates on borrowings under the Credit Agreement to be based on the Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate, plus a percentage based on the higher of the ratings of our long-term senior unsecured debt from Moody’s and S&P. The applicable percentage for borrowings under the Credit Agreement at June 30, 2023 was 1.0% based on our long-term senior unsecured debt ratings on that date. At June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we had no borrowings under the Credit Agreement.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
We carried out an evaluation, with the participation of our management, including Altria’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e)) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as of the end of the period covered by this Form 10-Q. Based upon that evaluation, Altria’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Part II – OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
See Note 13 for a discussion of legal proceedings pending against us. See also Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 to this Form 10-Q.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Information regarding Risk Factors appears in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our 2022 Form 10-K and Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our First Quarter Form 10-Q. Except as set forth below, there have been no material changes to the risk factors previously disclosed in our 2022 Form 10-K and First Quarter Form 10-Q. We elaborate on these and other risks we face throughout this Form 10-Q, particularly in the “Business Environment” section preceding our discussion of our operating results above in Part 1, Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
We face significant competition, and our failure to compete effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.
Our operating companies operate in highly competitive environments. Significant competition exists with respect to product quality, taste, price, product innovation, marketing, packaging, distribution and promotional activities. In addition, as adult tobacco consumer preferences evolve, consumers are increasingly moving across tobacco categories. Our operating companies’ failure to compete effectively in these environments could negatively impact profitability, market share (including as a result of down-trading to lower-priced competitive brands) and shipment volume, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.
The growth of innovative tobacco products, including e-vapor products and oral nicotine pouches, has contributed to reductions in the consumption levels and industry sales volume of cigarettes and other tobacco products, including MST. Furthermore, the sale of synthetic nicotine products without authorization from the FDA could negatively impact the growth of other innovative tobacco products. If we are unable to compete effectively in innovative tobacco product categories, including through internal product development, on! oral nicotine pouch products, NJOY e-vapor products, our participation in Horizon, other potential future partnerships with Japan Tobacco, Inc. and potential future investments, such inability could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial positions and our ability to achieve our Vision.
PM USA also faces competition from lower-priced brands sold by certain United States and foreign manufacturers that have cost advantages because they are not parties to settlements of certain tobacco litigation in the United States and, as such, are not required to make annual settlement payments as required by the parties to the settlements. These settlement payments, which are inflation-adjusted, are significant for PM USA and have contributed to substantial cigarette price increases to help cover their cost. Manufacturers not party to the settlements are subject to state escrow legislation requiring escrow deposits. Such manufacturers may avoid these escrow obligations by concentrating on certain states where escrow deposits are not required or are required on fewer than all such manufacturers’ cigarettes sold in such states. Additional competition has resulted from diversion into the United States market of cigarettes intended for sale outside the United States, the sale of counterfeit cigarettes by third parties, the sale of cigarettes by third parties over the Internet and by other means designed to avoid collection of applicable taxes, and imports of foreign lower-priced brands. The market shares of our operating companies’ products also have been negatively impacted by increases in competitive discount product share for cigarettes and MST products, as price sensitive adult tobacco consumers react to their economic conditions. Our failure to compete with lower-priced cigarette brands and counter the impacts of illicit trade in tobacco products could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
We may be unsuccessful in commercializing innovative products, including tobacco products with reduced health risks relative to certain other tobacco products and that appeal to adult tobacco consumers, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.
We have growth strategies involving innovative products that may have reduced health risks relative to certain other tobacco products, while continuing to offer adult tobacco consumers (within and outside the United States) products that meet their taste expectations and evolving preferences. These strategies include products in the e-vapor, heated tobacco and oral nicotine pouch spaces. If we are not successful in executing these strategies, there could be a material negative impact on our business and our ability to achieve our Vision.
In June 2023, we completed the NJOY Transaction, which provided us full global ownership of NJOY’s e-vapor product portfolio, including NJOY ACE, currently the only pod-based e-vapor product with market authorizations from the FDA. If we are unable to successfully integrate NJOY with our existing operations, execute our plans to increase the distribution of NJOY products, enhance NJOY ACE’s brand equity, increase the brand’s awareness and appeal or receive FDA authorizations on certain NJOY products, such outcomes could have a negative effect on our business and our ability to achieve our Vision.
In October 2022, we entered into a joint venture with JTI (US) Holding, Inc. to form Horizon for the marketing and commercialization of heated tobacco stick products in the U.S. Horizon’s success in generating new revenue streams by commercializing current and future HTS products owned by us or Japan Tobacco, Inc. is dependent upon a number of factors, including receipt of regulatory authorizations, prevailing economic, market, regulatory or business conditions, or changes in such conditions, negatively affecting the parties or their plans for future collaboration and partnerships, changes in market and other conditions resulting in unanticipated delays in the design and development of future products or the commencement of test launches, the outcome of any legal proceedings or investigations that may be instituted against the parties or others related to the transaction, changes in the preferences of U.S. adult tobacco consumers, the failure to meet commercialization milestones and the ability of the parties to enter into future partnerships on terms acceptable to both parties and in the expected manner or
timeframe, if at all. Such outcomes could have a negative effect on our ability to generate new revenue streams and enter new geographic markets.
We cannot predict whether regulators, including the FDA, will permit the marketing or sale of any particular innovative products (including products with claims of reduced risk to adult tobacco consumers), the speed with which they may make such determinations or whether they will impose a burdensome regulatory framework on such products. In addition, the FDA could, for a variety of reasons, determine that innovative products on the market but pending FDA review of the associated PMTA (such as on! oral nicotine pouches), or those that have previously received authorization, including with a claim of reduced exposure, are not appropriate for the public health, and the FDA could require such products be taken off the market. We also cannot guarantee that any innovative products we commercialize will appeal to adult tobacco consumers or whether adult tobacco consumers’ purchasing decisions would be affected by reduced-risk claims on such products if permitted.
If we do not succeed in commercializing innovative tobacco products that appeal to adult tobacco consumers or we fail to obtain or maintain regulatory approval for the marketing or sale of these products, including with claims of reduced health risks, we could be at a competitive disadvantage, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.
Failure to complete or manage strategic transactions, including the NJOY Transaction and other acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and investments in third parties, or realize the anticipated benefits of such transactions, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.
We regularly evaluate potential strategic transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and investments in third parties. Opportunities for strategic transactions may be limited, and the success of any such transaction is dependent upon our ability to complete and realize the expected benefits of the transaction in the expected time frame or at all. Following the completion of a transaction there may be certain financial, managerial, staffing and talent and operational risks, including diversion of management’s attention from existing core businesses, difficulties integrating other businesses into existing operations and other challenges presented by a transaction that does not achieve anticipated sales levels and profitability. We may not be able to enter into attractive business relationships or execute and complete strategic transactions on favorable terms or at all or that any such relationships or transactions will improve our competitive position or have the intended financial outcomes. For example, our former investment in JUUL did not and, to date, our investment in Cronos has not, resulted in the economic and competitive advantages expected at the time the investments were made.
In June 2023, we completed the NJOY Transaction. We may not be able to realize the expected benefits of the NJOY Transaction in the expected manner or timeframe, if at all, including due to failure to successfully manage the integration of NJOY with our existing operations, failure to receive or maintain regulatory authorizations, failure to comply with regulatory requirements, prevailing economic, market, regulatory or business conditions, or changes in such conditions, negatively affecting our business and our plans with respect to the e-vapor category, the outcome of any legal proceeding or investigation that may be instituted against the parties or others related to the NJOY Transaction or NJOY or its products and the occurrence of any event requiring us to write down the value of NJOY’s intangible assets, including trademarks and goodwill, due to impairment.
If the NJOY Transaction or any other acquisition, disposition, joint venture, investment in a third party or other strategic relationship is not successful, there could be a material negative impact on our business, financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.
Litigation, Legislative and Regulatory Risks
Unfavorable outcomes with respect to litigation proceedings or any governmental investigations could materially adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
Legal proceedings covering a wide range of matters are pending or threatened in various U.S. and foreign jurisdictions against us and our subsidiaries, including PM USA, as well as our and their respective indemnitees and indemnitors. Various types of claims may be raised in these proceedings, including product liability, unfair trade practices, antitrust, tax, contraband-related claims, patent infringement, employment matters, claims alleging violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, claims for contribution and claims of competitors, shareholders and distributors. Legislative action, such as changes to tort law, also may expand the types of claims and remedies available to plaintiffs.
Altria and/or one or more of our subsidiaries, including PM USA, are named as defendants in various e-vapor individual and class action lawsuits related to JUUL e-vapor products, including independent lawsuits initiated by certain state attorneys general.
In certain litigation, we and our subsidiaries may face potentially significant non-monetary remedies that could have a material adverse effect on our businesses. For example, in the Federal Government’s lawsuit alleging that certain defendants, including Altria and PM USA, violated RICO and engaged in certain “sub-schemes” to defraud, the district court did not impose monetary penalties but ordered significant non-monetary remedies, including the issuance of “corrective statements.” In a
patent lawsuit adjudicated before the ITC, the ITC banned the importation of IQOS devices, Marlboro HeatSticks and component parts into the United States and the sale and marketing of any such products previously imported into the United States. As a result of the ITC’s decision, PM USA removed the IQOS devices, Marlboro HeatSticks and any infringing components from the marketplace. In a separate patent lawsuit brought by JUUL currently pending before the ITC, the plaintiffs seek a prohibition on the importation of NJOY ACE into the United States and on the sale of any such products previously imported into the United States. Any such ban on the importation or sale of NJOY ACE could have negative impact on our business, our valuation of NJOY’s assets and our plans with respect to the e-vapor category.
Litigation is subject to significant uncertainty, and there could be adverse developments in pending or future cases. An unfavorable outcome or settlement of pending tobacco-related or other litigation could encourage the commencement of additional litigation. Damages claimed in some tobacco-related or other litigation are significant and, in certain cases, have ranged in the billions of dollars. The variability in pleadings in multiple jurisdictions and the actual experience of management in litigating claims demonstrate that the monetary relief that may be specified in a lawsuit bears little relevance to the ultimate outcome.
In certain cases, plaintiffs claim that defendants’ liability is joint and several. In such cases, we may face the risk that one or more co-defendants decline or otherwise fail to participate in the bonding required for an appeal or to pay their proportionate or jury-allocated share of a judgment. As a result, we may have to pay more than our proportionate share of any bonding- or judgment-related amounts under certain circumstances. Furthermore, in cases where plaintiffs are successful, we also may be required to pay interest and attorneys’ fees.
Although we historically have been able to obtain required bonds or relief from bonding requirements in order to prevent plaintiffs from seeking to collect judgments while adverse verdicts have been appealed, there remains a risk that such relief may not be obtainable in all cases. This risk has been substantially reduced given that 47 states and Puerto Rico now limit the dollar amount of bonds or require no bond at all. However, tobacco litigation plaintiffs have challenged the constitutionality of Florida’s bond cap statute in several cases and plaintiffs may challenge state bond cap statutes in other jurisdictions as well. Such challenges may include the applicability of state bond caps in federal court. Although we cannot predict the outcome of such challenges, it is possible that our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position could be materially adversely affected in a particular fiscal quarter or fiscal year by an unfavorable outcome of one or more such challenges.
Each of Altria and our subsidiaries named as a defendant in pending litigation believes, and each has been so advised by counsel handling the respective cases, that it has valid defenses to the litigation pending against it, as well as valid bases for appeal of adverse verdicts.
We have defended, and will continue to defend, vigorously against litigation challenges. However, we may enter into settlement discussions in particular cases if we believe it is in our best interests to do so.
From time to time, we are subject to federal and state governmental investigations on a range of matters. We currently are, or recently have been, subject to a number of governmental investigations concerning various aspects of our investment in, and relationship with, JUUL.
We cannot predict the outcome of any litigation proceedings or governmental investigations, and unfavorable outcomes in any such proceedings or investigations could materially adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
In January 2023, our Board of Directors authorized a new $1.0 billion share repurchase program, which we expect to complete by December 31, 2023. The timing of share repurchases under this program depends upon marketplace conditions and other factors, and the program remains subject to the discretion of our Board.
Our share repurchase activity for each of the three months in the period ended June 30, 2023, was as follows:
Period
Total Number of Shares Purchased
Average Price Paid Per Share
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs
Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
During the quarter ended June 30, 2023, except as noted below, none of our directors or officers adopted, modified or terminated any “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement”, as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K.
Effective June 1, 2023, phantom stock units of non-Altria stock were removed as an investment option under Altria’s Deferred Fee Plan for Non-Employee Directors (“Plan”). As a result of this change, on May 1, 2023, George Muñoz, a director on our Board, made a one-time election to transfer the investment value of all of the phantom stock of non-Altria stock held in his Plan account into Altria phantom stock units. In accordance with the terms of the Plan, the investment value of the non-Altria phantom stock units was transferred on June 1, 2023 pursuant to the May 1, 2023 investment direction, resulting in the acquisition of 3,149 Altria phantom stock units. This trading arrangement is not intended to satisfy the affirmative defense of Rule 10b5-1(c).
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Signature
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
