Form 10-Q
Table of Contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

 

(X) QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2008

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 1-8940

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

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 is required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  þ            No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer  þ    Accelerated filer  ¨    Non-accelerated filer  ¨    Smaller reporting company  ¨

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 October 27, 2008, there were 2,060,397,687 shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.33 1/3 per share.


Table of Contents

ALTRIA GROUP, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page No.

PART I -

  

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

  

Item 1.

  

Financial Statements (Unaudited)

  
  

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007

   3 – 4
  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2008 and 2007

   5
  

Three Months Ended September 30, 2008 and 2007

   6
  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’
Equity for the Year Ended December 31, 2007 and the
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2008

   7
  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2008 and 2007

   8 – 9
  

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

   10 – 60

Item 2.

  

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

   61 – 95

Item 4.

  

Controls and Procedures

   96

PART II -

  

OTHER INFORMATION

  

Item 1.

  

Legal Proceedings

   97

Item 1A.

  

Risk Factors

   97

Item 2.

  

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

   97

Item 6.

  

Exhibits

   98 – 99

Signature

   100

 

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Table of Contents

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item  1. Financial Statements.

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in millions of dollars)

(Unaudited)

 

     September 30,
2008
   December 31,
2007

ASSETS

     

Consumer products

     

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 915    $ 4,842

Receivables (less allowances of $3 in 2008 and 2007)

     52      83

Inventories:

     

Leaf tobacco

     643      861

Other raw materials

     160      160

Finished product

     257      233
             
     1,060      1,254

Current assets of discontinued operations

        14,767

Other current assets

     1,818      1,944
             

Total current assets

     3,845      22,890

Property, plant and equipment, at cost

     5,316      5,626

Less accumulated depreciation

     3,154      3,204
             
     2,162      2,422

Goodwill

     81      76

Other intangible assets, net

     3,041      3,049

Prepaid pension assets

     960      912

Investment in SABMiller

     4,146      3,960

Long-term assets of discontinued operations

        16,969

Other assets

     876      870
             

Total consumer products assets

     15,111      51,148

Financial services

     

Finance assets, net

     5,527      6,029

Other assets

     32      34
             

Total financial services assets

     5,559      6,063
             

TOTAL ASSETS

   $ 20,670    $ 57,211
             

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

Continued

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Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Continued)

(in millions of dollars, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

 

     September 30,
2008
    December 31,
2007
 

LIABILITIES

    

Consumer products

    

Current portion of long-term debt

   $ 284     $ 2,354  

Accounts payable

     293       611  

Payable to Philip Morris International Inc.

     28       257  

Accrued liabilities:

    

Marketing

     321       327  

Taxes, except income taxes

     43       70  

Employment costs

     204       283  

Settlement charges

     3,696       3,986  

Other

     916       849  

Income taxes

     23       184  

Dividends payable

     665       1,588  

Current liabilities of discontinued operations

       8,273  
                

Total current liabilities

     6,473       18,782  

Long-term debt

     101       1,885  

Deferred income taxes

     1,180       968  

Accrued pension costs

     172       198  

Accrued postretirement health care costs

     1,894       1,916  

Long-term liabilities of discontinued operations

       8,065  

Other liabilities

     1,236       1,240  
                

Total consumer products liabilities

     11,056       33,054  

Financial services

    

Long-term debt

     500       500  

Deferred income taxes

     4,635       4,911  

Other liabilities

     301       192  
                

Total financial services liabilities

     5,436       5,603  
                

Total liabilities

     16,492       38,657  
                

Contingencies (Note 12)

    

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

    

Common stock, par value $0.33 1/3 per share
(2,805,961,317 shares issued)

     935       935  

Additional paid-in capital

     6,369       6,884  

Earnings reinvested in the business

     22,113       34,426  

Accumulated other comprehensive losses

     (795 )     (237 )
                
     28,622       42,008  

Less cost of repurchased stock (745,701,112 shares in 2008 and 698,284,555 shares in 2007)

     (24,444 )     (23,454 )
                

Total stockholders’ equity

     4,178       18,554  
                

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

   $ 20,670     $ 57,211  
                

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings

(in millions of dollars, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

 

     For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 
     2008     2007  

Net revenues

   $ 14,702     $ 14,136  

Cost of sales

     6,285       5,905  

Excise taxes on products

     2,578       2,626  
                

Gross profit

     5,839       5,605  

Marketing, administration and research costs

     2,060       2,059  

Asset impairment and exit costs

     294       392  

Gain on sale of corporate headquarters building

     (404 )  

Recoveries from airline industry exposure

       (214 )

Amortization of intangibles

     5    
                

Operating income

     3,884       3,368  

Interest and other debt expense, net

     27       190  

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

     393    

Equity earnings in SABMiller

     (344 )     (392 )
                

Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes

     3,808       3,570  

Provision for income taxes

     1,397       1,259  
                

Earnings from continuing operations

     2,411       2,311  

Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income taxes and minority interest

     1,840       5,287  
                

Net earnings

   $ 4,251     $ 7,598  
                

Per share data:

    

Basic earnings per share:

    

Continuing operations

   $ 1.16     $ 1.10  

Discontinued operations

     0.88       2.52  
                

Net earnings

   $ 2.04     $ 3.62  
                

Diluted earnings per share:

    

Continuing operations

   $ 1.15     $ 1.09  

Discontinued operations

     0.88       2.50  
                

Net earnings

   $ 2.03     $ 3.59  
                

Dividends declared

   $ 1.36     $ 2.30  
                

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings

(in millions of dollars, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
September 30,
 
     2008     2007  

Net revenues

   $ 5,238     $ 4,987  

Cost of sales

     2,230       2,096  

Excise taxes on products

     897       927  
                

Gross profit

     2,111       1,964  

Marketing, administration and research costs

     763       736  

Asset impairment and exit costs

     17       13  

Recoveries from airline industry exposure

       (7 )

Amortization of intangibles

     2    
                

Operating income

     1,329       1,222  

Interest and other debt expense, net

     25       27  

Equity earnings in SABMiller

     (54 )     (132 )
                

Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes

     1,358       1,327  

Provision for income taxes

     491       427  
                

Earnings from continuing operations

     867       900  

Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income taxes and minority interest

       1,733  
                

Net earnings

   $ 867     $ 2,633  
                

Per share data:

    

Basic earnings per share:

    

Continuing operations

   $ 0.42     $ 0.43  

Discontinued operations

       0.82  
                

Net earnings

   $ 0.42     $ 1.25  
                

Diluted earnings per share:

    

Continuing operations

   $ 0.42     $ 0.43  

Discontinued operations

       0.81  
                

Net earnings

   $ 0.42     $ 1.24  
                

Dividends declared

   $ 0.32     $ 0.75  
                

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

for the Year Ended December 31, 2007 and

the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2008

(in millions of dollars, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

 

    Common
Stock
  Addi-
tional
Paid-in
Capital
    Earnings
Reinvested
in the
Business
    Accumulated Other
Comprehensive Earnings
(Losses)
             
        Currency
Translation
Adjustments
    Other     Total     Cost of
Repurchased
Stock
    Total
Stock-

holders’
Equity
 

Balances, January 1, 2007

  $ 935   $ 6,356     $ 59,879     $ (97 )   $ (3,711 )   $ (3,808 )   $ (23,743 )   $ 39,619  

Comprehensive earnings:

               

Net earnings

        9,786               9,786  

Other comprehensive earnings (losses), net of income taxes:

               

Currency translation adjustments

          736         736         736  

Change in net loss and prior service cost

            744       744         744  

Change in fair value of derivatives accounted for as hedges

            (18 )     (18 )       (18 )
                     

Total other comprehensive earnings

                  1,462  
                     

Total comprehensive earnings

                  11,248  
                     

Adoption of FIN 48 and FAS 13-2

        711               711  

Exercise of stock options and issuance of other stock awards (1)

      528               289       817  

Cash dividends declared ($3.05 per share)

        (6,430 )             (6,430 )

Spin-off of Kraft Foods Inc.

        (29,520 )     89       2,020       2,109         (27,411 )
                                                             

Balances, December 31, 2007

    935     6,884       34,426       728       (965 )     (237 )     (23,454 )     18,554  

Comprehensive earnings:

               

Net earnings

        4,251               4,251  

Other comprehensive earnings (losses), net of income taxes:

               

Currency translation adjustments

          233         233         233  

Change in net loss and prior service cost

            41       41         41  

Change in fair value of derivatives accounted for as hedges

            (177 )     (177 )       (177 )
                     

Total other comprehensive earnings

                  97  
                     

Total comprehensive earnings

                  4,348  
                     

Exercise of stock options and issuance of other stock awards (2)

      (515 )             176       (339 )

Cash dividends declared ($1.36 per share)

        (2,844 )             (2,844 )

Stock repurchased

                (1,166 )     (1,166 )

Spin-off of Philip Morris International Inc.

        (13,720 )     (961 )     306       (655 )       (14,375 )
                                                             

Balances, September 30, 2008

  $ 935   $ 6,369     $ 22,113     $ —       $ (795 )   $ (795 )   $ (24,444 )   $ 4,178  
                                                             

 

(1) Includes $179 million increase to additional paid-in capital for the reimbursement from Kraft as a result of modifications to Altria Group, Inc. stock awards.
(2) Includes $449 million decrease to additional paid-in capital for the reimbursement to PMI as a result of modifications to Altria Group, Inc. stock awards. See Note 1.

Total comprehensive earnings were $880 million and $2,564 million for the quarters ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, respectively, and $8,461 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2007.

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

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Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in millions of dollars)

(Unaudited)

 

     For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 
     2008     2007  

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES

    

Earnings from continuing operations

 

- Consumer products

   $ 2,363     $ 2,104  
 

- Financial services

     48       207  

Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income taxes
and minority interest

     1,840       5,287  
                  

Net earnings

     4,251       7,598  

Impact of earnings from discontinued operations, net of income
taxes and minority interest

     (1,840 )     (5,287 )

Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to operating cash flows:

    

Consumer products

    

Depreciation and amortization

     162       174  

Deferred income tax provision

     128       157  

Equity earnings in SABMiller

     (344 )     (392 )

Asset impairment and exit costs, net of cash paid

     84       328  

Gain on sale of corporate headquarters building

     (404 )  

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

     393    

Cash effects of changes, net of the effects
from acquired and divested companies:

    

Receivables, net

     (102 )     149  

Inventories

     194       370  

Accounts payable

     (157 )     (161 )

Income taxes

     19       (358 )

Accrued liabilities and other current assets

     (114 )     (68 )

Accrued settlement charges

     (290 )     129  

Pension plan contributions

     (37 )     (27 )

Pension provisions and postretirement, net

     92       163  

Other

     259       320  

Financial services

    

Deferred income tax benefit

     (276 )     (253 )

Other

     224       (34 )
                  

Net cash provided by operating activities,
continuing operations

     2,242       2,808  

Net cash provided by operating activities,
discontinued operations

     1,666       5,477  
                  

Net cash provided by operating activities

     3,908       8,285  
                  

 

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

Continued

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Continued)

(in millions of dollars)

(Unaudited)

 

     For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 
     2008     2007  

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES

    

Consumer products

    

Capital expenditures

   $ (131 )   $ (210 )

Proceeds from sale of corporate headquarters building

     525    

Other

     110       108  

Financial services

    

Investments in finance assets

       (4 )

Proceeds from finance assets

     389       363  
                

Net cash provided by investing activities,
continuing operations

     893       257  

Net cash used in investing activities,
discontinued operations

     (317 )     (1,152 )
                

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     576       (895 )
                

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES

    

Consumer products

    

Net issuance of short-term borrowings

       2  

Long-term debt repaid

     (3,908 )     (500 )

Financial services

    

Long-term debt repaid

       (617 )

Repurchase of Altria Group, Inc. common stock

     (1,166 )  

Dividends paid on Altria Group, Inc. common stock

     (3,767 )     (5,069 )

Issuance of Altria Group, Inc. common stock

     79       357  

Kraft Foods Inc. dividends paid to Altria Group, Inc.

       728  

Philip Morris International Inc. dividends paid to Altria Group, Inc.

     3,019       2,480  

Tender and consent fees related to the early extinguishment of debt

     (371 )  

Changes in amounts due to/from Philip Morris International Inc.

     (721 )     480  

Other

     (227 )     90  
                

Net cash used in financing activities, continuing operations

     (7,062 )     (2,049 )

Net cash used in financing activities, discontinued operations

     (1,648 )     (2,966 )
                

Net cash used in financing activities

     (8,710 )     (5,015 )
                

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and
cash equivalents:

    

Discontinued operations

     (126 )     165  
                

Cash and cash equivalents, continuing operations:

    

(Decrease) increase

     (3,927 )     1,016  

Balance at beginning of period

     4,842       3,105  
                

Balance at end of period

   $ 915     $ 4,121  
                

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

Note 1.    Basis of Presentation and PMI Spin-Off:

Basis of Presentation

The interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (“Altria Group, Inc.”) are unaudited. It is the opinion of Altria Group, Inc.’s management that all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the interim results presented have been reflected therein. 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 the consolidated financial statements and related notes, which appear in Altria Group, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 5, 2008 (the “June Form 8-K”) and on September 8, 2008 (the “September Form 8-K”). Altria Group, Inc.’s June Form 8-K revised certain information disclosed in Altria Group, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 in order to reflect Philip Morris International Inc. (“PMI”) as a discontinued operation, and to reflect the change in reportable segments both of which are discussed further below. Altria Group, Inc.’s September Form 8-K was filed to provide subsequent event footnotes to the financial statements of Altria Group, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2007 as filed on the June Form 8-K. These subsequent event footnotes included condensed consolidating financial information provided in connection with the issuance by Philip Morris USA Inc. (“PM USA”) of guarantees of certain of Altria Group, Inc.’s indebtedness, which is discussed further in Note 14. Condensed Consolidating Financial Information.

Balance sheet accounts are segregated by two broad types of businesses. Consumer products assets and liabilities are classified as either current or non-current, whereas financial services assets and liabilities are unclassified, in accordance with respective industry practices. The financial services long-term debt of $500 million matures in July 2009.

On March 28, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. distributed all of its interest in PMI to Altria Group, Inc.’s stockholders in a tax-free distribution, as discussed below. Altria Group, Inc. has reflected the results of PMI prior to the distribution as discontinued operations on the condensed consolidated statements of earnings and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows. The assets and liabilities related to PMI were reclassified and reflected as discontinued operations on the condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2007.

On March 30, 2007, Altria Group, Inc. distributed all of its remaining interest in Kraft Foods Inc. (“Kraft”) on a pro-rata basis to Altria Group, Inc. stockholders in a tax-free distribution. Altria Group, Inc. has reflected the results of Kraft prior to the Kraft distribution date as discontinued operations on the condensed consolidated statements of earnings and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.

The products of Altria Group, Inc.’s subsidiaries include cigarettes and other tobacco products sold in the United States by PM USA, and machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco sold by John Middleton Co. (“Middleton”). Beginning with the first quarter of 2008, Altria Group, Inc. revised its reportable segments to reflect the change in the way in which Altria Group, Inc.’s management reviews the business as a result of the acquisition of Middleton and the PMI spin-off. Altria Group, Inc.’s revised segments, which are reflected in these financial statements, are Cigarettes and other tobacco products; Cigars; and Financial services. Accordingly, prior period segment results have been revised.

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current year’s presentation, due primarily to the classification of PMI as a discontinued operation and revised segment information.

 

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

PMI Spin-Off

On March 28, 2008 (the “Distribution Date”), Altria Group, Inc. distributed all of its interest in PMI to Altria Group, Inc. stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 19, 2008 (the “Record Date”), in a tax-free distribution. Altria Group, Inc. distributed one share of PMI common stock for every share of Altria Group, Inc. common stock outstanding as of the Record Date. Following the Distribution Date, Altria Group, Inc. does not own any shares of PMI stock.

Holders of Altria Group, Inc. stock options were treated similarly to public stockholders and, accordingly, had their stock awards split into two instruments. Holders of Altria Group, Inc. stock options received the following stock options, which, immediately after the spin-off, had an aggregate intrinsic value equal to the intrinsic value of the pre-spin Altria Group, Inc. options:

 

   

a new PMI option to acquire the same number of shares of PMI common stock as the number of Altria Group, Inc. options held by such person on the Distribution Date; and

 

   

an adjusted Altria Group, Inc. option for the same number of shares of Altria Group, Inc. common stock with a reduced exercise price.

As set forth in the Employee Matters Agreement, the exercise price of each option was developed to reflect the relative market values of PMI and Altria Group, Inc. shares, by allocating the share price of Altria Group, Inc. common stock before the spin-off ($73.83) to PMI shares ($51.44) and Altria Group, Inc. shares ($22.39) and then multiplying each of these allocated values by the Option Conversion Ratio. The Option Conversion Ratio was equal to the exercise price of the Altria Group, Inc. option, prior to any adjustment for the spin-off, divided by the share price of Altria Group, Inc. common stock before the spin-off ($73.83). As a result, the new PMI option and the adjusted Altria Group, Inc. option had an aggregate intrinsic value equal to the intrinsic value of the pre-spin Altria Group, Inc. option.

Holders of Altria Group, Inc. restricted stock or deferred stock awarded prior to January 30, 2008, retained their existing awards and received the same number of shares of restricted or deferred stock of PMI. The restricted stock and deferred stock will not vest until the completion of the original restriction period (typically, three years from the date of the original grant). Recipients of Altria Group, Inc. deferred stock awarded on January 30, 2008, who were employed by Altria Group, Inc. after the Distribution Date, received additional shares of deferred stock of Altria Group, Inc. to preserve the intrinsic value of the award. Recipients of Altria Group, Inc. deferred stock awarded on January 30, 2008, who were employed by PMI after the Distribution Date, received substitute shares of deferred stock of PMI to preserve the intrinsic value of the award.

To the extent that employees of the remaining Altria Group, Inc. received PMI stock options, Altria Group, Inc. reimbursed PMI in cash for the Black-Scholes fair value of the stock options received. To the extent that PMI employees held Altria Group, Inc. stock options, PMI reimbursed Altria Group, Inc. in cash for the Black-Scholes fair value of the stock options. To the extent that employees of Altria Group, Inc. received PMI deferred stock, Altria Group, Inc. paid to PMI the fair value of the PMI deferred stock less the value of projected forfeitures. To the extent that PMI employees held Altria Group, Inc. restricted stock or deferred stock, PMI reimbursed Altria Group, Inc. in cash for the fair value of the restricted or deferred stock less the value of projected forfeitures and any amounts previously charged to PMI for the restricted or deferred stock. Based upon the number of Altria Group, Inc. stock awards outstanding at the Distribution Date, the net amount of these reimbursements resulted in a payment of $449 million from Altria Group, Inc. to PMI. The reimbursement to PMI is reflected as a decrease to the additional paid-in capital of Altria Group, Inc. on the September 30, 2008 condensed consolidated balance sheet.

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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In connection with the spin-off, PMI paid to Altria Group, Inc. $4.0 billion in special dividends in addition to its normal dividends to Altria Group, Inc. PMI paid $3.1 billion of these special dividends in 2007 and paid the additional $900 million in the first quarter of 2008.

Prior to the PMI spin-off, PMI was included in the Altria Group, Inc. consolidated federal income tax return, and PMI’s federal income tax contingencies were recorded as liabilities on the balance sheet of Altria Group, Inc. Altria Group, Inc. reimbursed PMI in cash for these liabilities, which were $97 million.

Prior to the PMI spin-off, certain employees of PMI participated in the U.S. benefit plans offered by Altria Group, Inc. The benefits previously provided by Altria Group, Inc. are now provided by PMI. As a result, new plans were established by PMI, and the related plan assets (to the extent that the benefit plans were previously funded) and liabilities were transferred to the PMI plans. The transfer of these benefits resulted in Altria Group, Inc. reducing its benefit plan liabilities by $129 million and increasing its prepaid pension assets by $33 million in its condensed consolidated balance sheet, partially offset by the related deferred tax assets ($23 million) and the corresponding Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans” adjustment to stockholders’ equity ($27 million). Altria Group, Inc. paid PMI a corresponding amount of $112 million in cash, which is net of the related tax benefit.

A subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc. previously provided PMI with certain corporate services at cost plus a management fee. After the Distribution Date, PMI independently undertook most of these activities. Any remaining limited services provided to PMI by the Altria Group, Inc. service subsidiary under the Transition Services Agreement are expected to cease in 2008. The settlement of the intercompany accounts (including the amounts discussed above related to stock awards, tax contingencies and benefit plans) resulted in a net payment from Altria Group, Inc. to PMI of $332 million. In March 2008, Altria Group, Inc. made an estimated payment of $427 million to PMI, thereby resulting in PMI reimbursing $95 million to Altria Group, Inc. in the second quarter of 2008.

The distribution resulted in a net decrease to Altria Group, Inc.’s stockholders’ equity of $14.4 billion on the Distribution Date.

Dividends and Share Repurchases

During the second quarter of 2008, Altria Group, Inc.’s Board of Directors adjusted Altria Group, Inc.’s quarterly dividend rate to $0.29 per common share. This adjustment was intended to allow Altria Group, Inc. stockholders who retained their PMI shares to initially receive, in the aggregate, the same cash dividend rate that existed before the spin-off. During the third quarter of 2008, Altria Group, Inc.’s Board of Directors approved a 10.3% increase in the quarterly dividend rate to $0.32 per common share. The present annualized dividend rate is $1.28 per Altria Group, Inc. common share. The dividend remains subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors.

In conjunction with the announced acquisition of UST Inc. (“UST”) (for further discussion see Note 2. UST Acquisition) the Altria Group, Inc. Board of Directors modified its previously announced two-year $7.5 billion share repurchase program and authorized the repurchase of up to $4.0 billion in Altria Group, Inc. common stock over a three-year (2008 to 2010) period. As of September 30, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. had repurchased 53.5 million shares of its common stock at an aggregate cost of approximately $1.2 billion, or an average price of $21.81 per share. Altria Group, Inc.’s share repurchase program is at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

 

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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Tender Offer for Altria Group, Inc. Notes

In connection with the spin-off of PMI, in the first quarter of 2008, Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiary, Altria Finance (Cayman Islands) Ltd., completed tender offers to purchase for cash $2.3 billion of notes and debentures denominated in U.S. dollars, and €373 million in euro-denominated bonds, equivalent to $568 million in U.S. dollars.

As a result of the tender offers and consent solicitations, Altria Group, Inc. recorded a pre-tax loss of $393 million, which included tender and consent fees of $371 million, on the early extinguishment of debt in the first quarter of 2008.

Note 2.    UST Acquisition:

On September 8, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. and UST announced that they had entered into a definitive agreement for Altria Group, Inc. to acquire all outstanding shares of UST, the world’s leading moist smokeless tobacco manufacturer. Under the terms of the agreement, shareholders of UST will receive $69.50 in cash for each share of UST common stock. The transaction is valued at approximately $11.7 billion, which includes the assumption of approximately $1.3 billion of debt.

On October 2, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. and UST agreed to extend, at Altria Group, Inc.’s option, the closing date of the transaction in the event conditions for closing are met prior to the end of 2008. As part of the extension, Altria Group, Inc. agreed to increase the termination fee it must pay to $300 million under certain circumstances where Altria Group, Inc. is required to close the acquisition but does not do so. On October 16, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. and UST announced that Altria Group, Inc.’s proposed acquisition of UST had passed federal antitrust review. Completion of the transaction remains subject to UST shareholder approval and certain other customary closing conditions. If such conditions to closing are satisfied, Altria Group, Inc. expects the transaction to close during the first full week of January 2009 and no later than January 7, 2009.

Altria Group, Inc. has entered into a commitment letter with two banks to provide up to $7.0 billion under a senior 364-day bridge loan facility, which, together with Altria Group, Inc.’s existing credit facilities and cash, is expected to be more than sufficient to fund the acquisition.

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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Note 3.    Asset Impairment and Exit Costs:

Pre-tax asset impairment and exit costs consisted of the following:

 

          For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
   For the Three Months Ended
September 30,
          2008    2007    2008    2007
          (in millions)

Separation program

  

Cigarettes and other tobacco products

   $ 44    $ 293    $ 15    $ 10

Separation program

  

General corporate

     195      17      2   

Asset impairment

  

Cigarettes and other tobacco products

        35      

Kraft spin-off fees

   General corporate         47         3

PMI spin-off fees

   General corporate      55         
                              
Asset impairment and exit costs       $ 294    $ 392    $ 17    $ 13
                              

The movement in the asset impairment and exit cost liabilities for Altria Group, Inc. for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 was as follows:

 

     Severance     Other     Total  
     (in millions)  

Liability balance, January 1, 2008

   $ 279     $ 3     $ 282  

Charges

     144       150       294  

Cash spent

     (119 )     (91 )     (210 )

Other

     4       (22 )     (18 )
                        

Liability balance, September 30, 2008

   $ 308     $ 40     $ 348  
                        

Other charges in the table above primarily represent PMI spin-off fees, as well as pension and postretirement termination benefits.

Manufacturing Optimization Program

In June 2007, PMI established plans to move the U.S.-based production of cigarettes from PM USA to PMI facilities. Due to declining U.S. cigarette volume, as well as PMI’s decision to re-source its production, PM USA will close its Cabarrus, North Carolina manufacturing facility and consolidate manufacturing for the U.S. market at its Richmond, Virginia manufacturing center. PM USA anticipates that its cigarette production for PMI, which approximated 57 billion cigarettes in 2007, will end during the fourth quarter of 2008. PM USA expects to close its Cabarrus manufacturing facility by the end of 2010.

As a result of this program, from 2007 through 2011, PM USA expects to incur total pre-tax charges of approximately $670 million, comprised of accelerated depreciation of $143 million, employee separation costs of $353 million and other charges of $174 million, primarily related to the relocation of employees and equipment, net of estimated gains on sales of land and buildings. Approximately $440 million, or 66% of the total pre-tax charges, will result in cash expenditures.

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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PM USA recorded total pre-tax charges for this program as follows:

 

     For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
   For the Three Months Ended
September 30,
     2008    2007    2008    2007
     (in millions)

Asset impairment and exit costs

   $ 44    $ 328    $ 15    $ 10

Implementation costs

     48      12      16      12
                           

Total

   $ 92    $ 340    $ 31    $ 22
                           

The pre-tax implementation costs were primarily related to accelerated depreciation and were included in cost of sales in the condensed consolidated statements of earnings for the nine months and three months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007. Total pre-tax charges incurred since the inception of the program were $463 million. Pre-tax charges of approximately $32 million are expected during the remainder of 2008 for the program. Cash payments related to the program of $53 million and $24 million were made during the nine and three months ended September 30, 2008, respectively, for a total of $64 million since inception.

Corporate Asset Impairment and Exit Costs

During the first quarter of 2008, in connection with the PMI spin-off, Altria Group, Inc. restructured its corporate headquarters and incurred pre-tax charges of $195 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2008, consisting primarily of employee separation costs. Substantially all of these charges will result in cash expenditures. Cash payments for the program of $121 million and $52 million were made during the nine months and three months ended September 30, 2008, respectively.

In addition, during the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, corporate asset impairment and exit costs also included investment banking and legal fees associated with the PMI spin-off in 2008 and the Kraft spin-off in 2007, as well as the streamlining of various corporate functions in 2007.

Note 4.    Benefit Plans:

Altria Group, Inc. sponsors noncontributory defined benefit pension plans covering substantially all employees. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide health care and other benefits to substantially all retired employees.

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Pension Plans

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost

Net periodic pension cost consisted of the following:

 

     For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
    For the Three Months Ended
September 30,
 
     2008     2007     2008     2007  
     (in millions)  

Service cost

   $ 73     $ 80     $ 23     $ 26  

Interest cost

     228       229       75       76  

Expected return on plan assets

     (319 )     (316 )     (109 )     (105 )

Amortization:

        

Net loss

     46       78       12       28  

Prior service cost

     7       7       3       1  

Other

     40       31       2       7  
                                

Net periodic pension cost

   $ 75     $ 109     $ 6     $ 33  
                                

“Other” pension cost of $40 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2008, primarily reflects termination benefits related to Altria Group, Inc.’s restructuring of its corporate headquarters. “Other” pension costs of $31 million and $7 million for the nine months and three months ended September 30, 2007, respectively, were due primarily to curtailment losses and an early retirement program related to PM USA’s announced closure of its Cabarrus, North Carolina manufacturing facility.

Employer Contributions

Altria Group, Inc. presently makes, and plans to make, contributions, to the extent that they are tax deductible, in order to maintain plan assets in excess of the accumulated benefit obligation of its funded plans and to pay benefits that relate to plans for salaried employees that cannot be funded under Internal Revenue Service regulations. Employer contributions of $37 million were made to Altria Group, Inc.’s pension plans during the nine months ended September 30, 2008. Currently, Altria Group, Inc. anticipates making additional contributions during the remainder of 2008 of approximately $20 million to its pension plans, based on current tax law. However, these estimates are subject to change as a result of changes in tax and other benefit laws, as well as asset performance significantly above or below the assumed long-term rate of return on pension assets, or changes in interest rates.

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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Postretirement Benefit Plans

Net postretirement health care costs consisted of the following:

 

    For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
    For the Three Months Ended
September 30,
 
    2008     2007     2008     2007  
    (in millions)  

Service cost

  $ 29     $ 36     $ 10     $ 12  

Interest cost

    87       93       29       30  

Amortization:

       

Net loss

    18       25       5       8  

Prior service credit

    (6 )     (6 )     (2 )     (2 )

Other

    9       (4 )     1    
                               

Net postretirement health care costs

  $ 137     $ 144     $ 43     $ 48  
                               

“Other” postretirement cost of $9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2008, primarily reflects termination benefits related to Altria Group, Inc.’s restructuring of its corporate headquarters. “Other” postretirement gains of $4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, were due primarily to curtailment gains related to PM USA’s announced closure of its Cabarrus, North Carolina manufacturing facility.

Note 5.    Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, net:

Goodwill and other intangible assets, net, by segment were as follows (in millions):

 

     Goodwill    Other Intangible Assets, net
     September 30,
2008
   December 31,
2007
   September 30,
2008
   December 31,
2007

Cigarettes and other tobacco products

   $ -    $ -    $ 283    $ 283

Cigars

     81      76      2,758      2,766
                           

Total

   $ 81    $ 76    $ 3,041    $ 3,049
                           

Intangible assets were as follows (in millions):

 

     September 30, 2008    December 31, 2007
     Gross
Carrying
Amount
   Accumulated
Amortization
   Gross
Carrying
Amount
   Accumulated
Amortization

Non-amortizable intangible assets

   $ 2,923       $ 2,894   

Amortizable intangible assets

     123    $ 5      155    $ -
                           

Total intangible assets

   $ 3,046    $ 5    $ 3,049    $ -
                           

Non-amortizable intangible assets substantially consist of trademarks from the December 2007 acquisition of Middleton. Amortizable intangible assets consist primarily of customer relationships. Pre-tax amortization expense for intangible assets during the nine months and three months ended September 30, 2008, was $5 million and $2 million, respectively. Annual amortization expense for each of the next five

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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years is estimated to be $10 million or less, excluding any impact from the UST acquisition and assuming no additional transactions occur that require the amortization of intangible assets.

Goodwill relates to the December 2007 acquisition of Middleton. The change in goodwill and gross carrying amount of intangible assets from December 31, 2007 to September 30, 2008, is as follows (in millions):

 

     Goodwill    Intangible
Assets
 

Balance at December 31, 2007

   $ 76    $ 3,049  

Changes due to:

     

Purchase price revisions

     5      (3 )
               

Balance at September 30, 2008

   $ 81    $ 3,046  
               

The changes in goodwill and intangible assets resulted from revisions to the purchase price allocation as appraisals for the acquisition of Middleton were finalized during the first quarter of 2008.

Note 6.    Financial Instruments:

During the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, and the three months ended September 30, 2007, ineffectiveness related to fair value hedges and cash flow hedges was not material. During the first quarter of 2008, Altria Group, Inc. purchased forward foreign exchange contracts to mitigate its exposure to changes in exchange rates from its euro-denominated debt. While these forward exchange contracts were effective as economic hedges, they did not qualify for hedge accounting treatment and therefore $21 million of gains for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 relating to these contracts were reported in Altria Group, Inc.’s condensed consolidated statements of earnings. These contracts and the related debt matured in the second quarter of 2008. Subsequent to the maturities of these contracts, Altria Group, Inc. has had no derivative financial instruments remaining.

Within currency translation adjustments during the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, Altria Group, Inc. recorded losses, net of income taxes, of $85 million and gains, net of income taxes, of $2 million, respectively, which represented effective hedges of net investments. The accumulated losses recorded as net investment hedges of foreign operations were recognized and recorded in connection with the PMI distribution. Subsequent to the PMI distribution, Altria Group, Inc. has had no such net investment hedges remaining.

Hedging activity affected accumulated other comprehensive earnings (losses), net of income taxes, as follows:

 

     For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
    For the Three Months Ended
September 30,
     2008     2007     2008    2007
     (in millions)

(Loss) gain at beginning of period

   $ (5 )   $ 13     $ -    $ 8

Derivative losses (gains) transferred to earnings

     93       (38 )        3

Change in fair value

     (270 )     45          11

Kraft spin-off

       2       

PMI spin-off

     182         
                             

Gain as of September 30

   $ -     $ 22     $ -    $ 22
                             

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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See Note 11. Fair Value Measurements, for disclosures related to the fair value of derivative financial instruments.

Note 7.    Divestitures:

Discontinued Operations

As further discussed in Note 1. Basis of Presentation and PMI Spin-Off, on March 28, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. distributed all of its interest in PMI to Altria Group, Inc. stockholders in a tax-free distribution. The distribution resulted in a net decrease to Altria Group, Inc.’s stockholders’ equity of $14.4 billion on March 28, 2008.

On March 30, 2007, Altria Group, Inc. distributed all of its remaining interest in Kraft on a pro-rata basis to Altria Group, Inc. stockholders in a tax-free distribution. The distribution resulted in a net decrease of $27.4 billion to Altria Group, Inc.’s stockholders’ equity on March 30, 2007.

Altria Group, Inc. has reflected the results of PMI and Kraft prior to their respective distribution dates as discontinued operations on the condensed consolidated statements of earnings and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows. The assets and liabilities related to PMI were reclassified and reflected as discontinued operations on the condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2007.

Summarized financial information for discontinued operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, and for the three months ended September 30, 2007 were as follows (in millions):

 

     For the Nine
Months Ended
September 30, 2008
    For the Nine Months
Ended September 30, 2007
 
     PMI     PMI     Kraft     Total  

Net revenues

   $ 15,376     $ 41,436     $ 8,586     $ 50,022  
                                

Earnings before income taxes and
minority interest

   $ 2,701     $ 6,834     $ 1,059     $ 7,893  

Provision for income taxes

     (800 )     (1,975 )     (356 )     (2,331 )

Minority interest in earnings from
discontinued operations

     (61 )     (197 )     (78 )     (275 )
                                

Earnings from discontinued
operations, net of income
taxes and minority interest

   $ 1,840     $ 4,662     $ 625     $ 5,287  
                                

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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For the Three

Months Ended

September 30, 2007

 
     PMI  

Net revenues

   $ 14,220  
        

Earnings before income taxes and minority interest

   $ 2,499  

Provision for income taxes

     (690 )

Minority interest in earnings from discontinued operations

     (76 )
        

Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income taxes and minority interest

   $ 1,733  
        

Summarized assets and liabilities of discontinued operations for PMI as of December 31, 2007 were as follows (in millions):

 

     December 31,
2007

Assets:

  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 1,656

Receivables, net

     3,240

Inventories

     9,317

Other current assets

     554
      

Current assets of discontinued operations

     14,767
      

Property, plant and equipment, net

     6,435

Goodwill

     7,925

Other intangible assets, net

     1,904

Prepaid pension assets

     408

Other assets

     297
      

Long-term assets of discontinued operations

     16,969
      

Liabilities:

  

Short-term borrowings

     638

Current portion of long-term debt

     91

Accounts payable

     595

Accrued liabilities

     6,479

Income taxes

     470
      

Current liabilities of discontinued operations

     8,273
      

Long-term debt

     5,578

Deferred income taxes

     1,214

Accrued pension costs

     190

Other liabilities

     1,083
      

Long-term liabilities of discontinued operations

     8,065
      

Net Assets

   $ 15,398
      

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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Note 8.    Stock Plans:

In connection with the PMI spin-off, Altria Group, Inc. employee stock options were modified through the issuance of PMI employee stock options and the adjustment of the stock option exercise prices for the Altria Group, Inc. awards. For each employee stock option outstanding, the aggregate intrinsic value of the option immediately after the Distribution Date was not greater than the aggregate intrinsic value of the option immediately before the Distribution Date. Due to the fact that the Black-Scholes fair values of the awards immediately before and immediately after the spin-off were equivalent, as measured in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), no incremental compensation expense was recorded as a result of the modification of the Altria Group, Inc. awards.

On January 30, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. issued 1.9 million shares of deferred stock to eligible U.S.-based and non-U.S. employees. Restrictions on these shares lapse in the first quarter of 2011. The market value per share was $76.76 on the date of grant. Recipients of 0.5 million of these Altria Group, Inc. deferred shares, who were employed by Altria Group, Inc. after the PMI spin-off, received 1.3 million additional shares of deferred stock of Altria Group, Inc. to preserve the intrinsic value of the award. Recipients of 1.4 million shares of Altria Group, Inc. deferred stock awarded on January 30, 2008, who were employed by PMI after the PMI spin-off, received substitute shares of deferred stock of PMI to preserve the intrinsic value of the award.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2008, 1.3 million shares of restricted stock and 0.7 million shares of deferred stock vested. The total fair value of restricted and deferred stock vested during the nine months ended September 30, 2008 was $140 million. The grant date fair value per share of these awards was $60.10 (reflects historical market prices which are not adjusted to reflect the Kraft and PMI spin-offs).

Note 9.    Earnings Per Share:

Basic and diluted EPS from continuing and discontinued operations were calculated using the following:

 

     For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
   For the Three Months Ended
September 30,
     2008    2007    2008    2007
     (in millions)

Earnings from continuing operations

   $ 2,411    $ 2,311    $ 867    $ 900

Earnings from discontinued operations

     1,840      5,287         1,733
                           

Net earnings

   $ 4,251    $ 7,598    $ 867    $ 2,633
                           

Weighted average shares for basic EPS

     2,080      2,100      2,058      2,103

Plus incremental shares from assumed conversions:

           

Restricted stock and deferred stock

     3      2      3      2

Stock options

     10      13      9      12
                           

Weighted average shares for diluted EPS

     2,093      2,115      2,070      2,117
                           

For the nine months and three months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, there were no antidilutive stock options.

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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Note 10.    Segment Reporting:

The products of Altria Group, Inc.’s subsidiaries include cigarettes and other tobacco products sold in the United States by PM USA, and machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco sold by Middleton. Another subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc., Philip Morris Capital Corporation (“PMCC”), maintains a portfolio of leveraged and direct finance leases.

As discussed in Note 1. Basis of Presentation and PMI Spin-Off, beginning with the first quarter of 2008, Altria Group, Inc. revised its reportable segments. Altria Group, Inc.’s reportable segments are Cigarettes and other tobacco products; Cigars; and Financial services.

Altria Group, Inc.’s management reviews operating companies income to evaluate segment performance and allocate resources. Operating companies income for the segments excludes general corporate expense and amortization of intangibles. Interest and other debt expense, net (consumer products), 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 Altria Group, Inc.’s management.

Segment data were as follows:

 

     For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
    For the Three Months Ended
September 30,
 
     2008     2007     2008     2007  
     (in millions)  

Net revenues:

        

Cigarettes and other tobacco products

   $ 14,233     $ 13,998     $ 5,084     $ 4,944  

Cigars

     290         98    

Financial services

     179       138       56       43  
                                

Net revenues

   $ 14,702     $ 14,136     $ 5,238     $ 4,987  
                                

Earnings from continuing operations
before income taxes:

        

Operating companies income (loss):

        

Cigarettes and other tobacco products

   $ 3,746     $ 3,429     $ 1,369     $ 1,295  

Cigars

     128         37    

Financial services

     97       344       (7 )     45  

Amortization of intangibles

     (5 )       (2 )  

Gain on sale of corporate headquarters building

     404        

General corporate expense

     (236 )     (341 )     (66 )     (115 )

Corporate asset impairment and exit costs

     (250 )     (64 )     (2 )     (3 )
                                

Operating income

     3,884       3,368       1,329       1,222  

Interest and other debt expense, net

     (27 )     (190 )     (25 )     (27 )

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

     (393 )      

Equity earnings in SABMiller

     344       392       54       132  
                                

Earnings from continuing
operations before income taxes

   $ 3,808     $ 3,570     $ 1,358     $ 1,327  
                                

 

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Items affecting the comparability of results from continuing operations were as follows:

 

 

Asset Impairment and Exit Costs – See Note 3. Asset Impairment and Exit Costs, for a breakdown of asset impairment and exit costs by segment.

 

 

Sales to PMI – During the nine months and three months ended September 30, 2008, PM USA recorded net revenues of $207 million and $97 million, respectively, from contract volume manufactured for PMI under an agreement that is expected to terminate before the end of 2008.

 

 

Gain on Sale of Corporate Headquarters Building – On March 25, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. sold its corporate headquarters building in New York City for $525 million and recorded a pre-tax gain on sale of $404 million.

 

 

Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt – As more fully discussed in Note 1. Basis of Presentation and PMI Spin-Off, in the first quarter of 2008, Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiary, Altria Finance (Cayman Islands) Ltd., completed tender offers to purchase for cash $2.3 billion of notes and debentures denominated in U.S. dollars, and €373 million in euro-denominated bonds, equivalent to $568 million in U.S. dollars.

As a result of the tender offers and consent solicitations, Altria Group, Inc. recorded a pre-tax loss of $393 million, which included tender and consent fees of $371 million, on the early extinguishment of debt in the first quarter of 2008.

 

 

PMCC Allowance for Losses – During the third quarter of 2008, PMCC increased its allowance for losses by $50 million as a result of credit rating downgrades of certain lessees and financial market conditions.

 

 

Recoveries from Airline Industry Exposure – During the nine months and three months ended September 30, 2007, PMCC recorded pre-tax gains of $214 million and $7 million, respectively, on the sale of its ownership interests and bankruptcy claims in certain leveraged lease investments in aircraft, which represented a partial recovery, in cash, of amounts that had been previously written down.

 

 

SABMiller plc (“SABMiller”) Intangible Asset Impairments – Altria Group, Inc.’s third quarter 2008 equity earnings in SABMiller included intangible asset impairment charges of $85 million.

 

 

Acquisition of Middleton – In December 2007, Altria Group, Inc. acquired Middleton.

Note 11.    Fair Value Measurements:

On January 1, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. adopted SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“SFAS No. 157”), which establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. SFAS No. 157 also establishes a fair value hierarchy, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The standard describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

 

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Level 1 -

    

Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 -

    

Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 -

    

Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

Investments

The fair value of Altria Group, Inc.’s equity investment in SABMiller is based on readily available quoted market prices.

Debt

The fair value of a portion of Altria Group, Inc.’s outstanding debt can be determined by using readily available quoted market prices. For the portion of Altria Group, Inc.’s debt where quoted market prices are not available, the fair value is determined by utilizing quotes and market interest rates currently available to Altria Group, Inc. for issuances of debt with similar terms and remaining maturities.

The fair value of Altria Group, Inc.’s equity investment in SABMiller and Altria Group, Inc.’s debt is utilized for annual disclosure purposes.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Altria Group, Inc. assesses the fair value of its derivative financial instruments using internally developed models that use, as their basis, readily observable future amounts, such as cash flows, earnings, and the current market expectations of those future amounts. As discussed in Note 6. Financial Instruments, at September 30, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. had no derivative financial instruments remaining.

On February 12, 2008, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued FASB Staff Position No. FAS 157-2, “Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157,” which delays the effective date of SFAS No. 157 for all non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on at least an annual basis until 2009. Altria Group, Inc. adopted this Staff Position beginning January 1, 2008 and deferred the application of SFAS No. 157 to goodwill and other intangible assets, net, until January 1, 2009.

Note 12.    Contingencies:

Legal proceedings covering a wide range of matters are pending or threatened in various United States and foreign jurisdictions against Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including PM USA, as well as their respective indemnitees. Various types of claims are raised in these proceedings, including product liability, consumer protection, antitrust, tax, contraband shipments, patent infringement, employment matters, claims for contribution and claims of competitors and distributors.

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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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 or other litigation are or can be significant and, in certain cases, range in the billions of dollars. The variability in pleadings in multiple jurisdictions, together with 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.

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 43 states now limit the dollar amount of bonds or require no bond at all.

Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries record provisions in the consolidated financial statements for pending litigation when they 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 as discussed elsewhere in this Note 12. Contingencies: (i) management has concluded that it is not probable that a loss has been incurred in any of the pending tobacco-related cases; (ii) management is unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss that could result from an unfavorable outcome of any of the pending tobacco-related cases; and (iii) accordingly, management has not provided any amounts in the consolidated financial statements for unfavorable outcomes, if any. Legal defense costs are expensed as incurred.

It is possible that PM USA’s or Altria Group, Inc.’s 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. Nevertheless, although litigation is subject to uncertainty, management believes the litigation environment has substantially improved in recent years. Altria Group, Inc. and each of its subsidiaries named as a defendant believe, 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. All such cases are, and will continue to be, vigorously defended. However, Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries may enter into settlement discussions in particular cases if they believe it is in the best interests of Altria Group, Inc. to do so.

Overview of Tobacco-Related Litigation

Types and Number of 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) smoking and health cases primarily alleging personal injury or seeking court-supervised programs for ongoing medical monitoring and purporting to be brought on behalf of a class of individual plaintiffs, including cases in which the aggregated claims of a number of individual plaintiffs are to be tried in a single proceeding, (iii) health care cost recovery cases brought by governmental (both domestic and foreign) and non-governmental plaintiffs seeking reimbursement for health care expenditures allegedly caused by cigarette smoking and/or disgorgement of profits, (iv) class action suits alleging that the uses of the terms “Lights” and “Ultra Lights” constitute deceptive and unfair trade practices, common law fraud, or violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), and (v) other tobacco-related litigation described below. Plaintiffs’ theories of recovery and the defenses raised in pending smoking and health, health care cost recovery and “Lights/Ultra Lights” cases are discussed below.

 

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

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The table below lists the number of certain tobacco-related cases pending in the United States against PM USA and, in some instances, Altria Group, Inc. as of November 1, 2008, November 1, 2007 and November 1, 2006.

 

Type of Case

  Number of Cases
Pending as of
November 1,
2008
  Number of Cases
Pending as of
November 1,
2007
  Number of Cases
Pending as of
November 1,
2006

Individual Smoking and Health Cases (1)

  98   195   191

Smoking and Health Class Actions and Aggregated Claims Litigation (2)

    9     10       9

Health Care Cost Recovery Actions

    3       3       6

“Lights/Ultra Lights” Class Actions

  17     17     21

Tobacco Price Cases

    2       2       2

Cigarette Contraband Cases

    0       0       0

 

  (1)

Does not include 2,620 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, which was settled in 1997. The terms of the court-approved settlement in that case allow class members to file individual lawsuits seeking compensatory damages, but prohibit them from seeking punitive damages. Also, does not include nine individual smoking and health cases brought against certain retailers that are indemnitees of PM USA. Additionally, does not include approximately 2,335 individual smoking and health cases brought by or on behalf of approximately 9,121 plaintiffs in Florida following the decertification of the Engle case discussed below. It is possible that some of these cases are duplicates and additional cases have been filed but not yet recorded on the courts’ dockets.

 

  (2)

Includes as one case the 728 civil actions (of which 414 are actions against PM USA) that are proposed to be tried in a single proceeding in West Virginia. Middleton was named as a defendant in this action but it, along with other non-cigarette manufacturers, has been severed from this case. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has ruled that the United States Constitution does not preclude a trial in two phases in this case. Issues related to defendants’ conduct, plaintiffs’ entitlement to punitive damages and a punitive damages multiplier, if any, would be determined in the first phase. The second phase would consist of individual trials to determine liability, if any, and compensatory damages. In November 2007, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals denied defendants’ renewed motion for review of the trial plan. In December 2007, defendants filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on February 25, 2008. In February 2008, the court granted defendants’ motion to stay the case pending the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Good v. Altria Group, Inc. et al., discussed below.

In addition, as of November 1, 2008, PM USA is a named defendant in a “Lights” class action in Israel and a health care cost recovery action in Israel. PM USA is a named defendant in two health care cost recovery actions in Canada, one of which also names Altria Group, Inc. as a defendant.

 

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Pending and Upcoming Trials

As of November 1, 2008, one Engle-progeny case against PM USA is scheduled for trial through the end of 2008. There are currently no individual smoking and health cases scheduled for trial through the end of 2008. Cases against other tobacco companies are also scheduled for trial through the end of 2008. Trial dates are subject to change.

Recent Trial Results

Since January 1999, verdicts have been returned in 45 smoking and health, “Lights/Ultra Lights” and health care cost recovery cases in which PM USA was a defendant. Verdicts in favor of PM USA and other defendants were returned in 28 of the 45 cases. These 28 cases were tried in California (4), Florida (9), Mississippi (1), Missouri (2), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New York (3), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (1), Rhode Island (1), Tennessee (2), and West Virginia (1). A motion for a new trial was granted in one of the cases in Florida. In addition, in December 2002, a court dismissed an individual smoking and health case in California at the end of trial.

In July 2005, a jury in Tennessee returned a verdict in favor of PM USA in a case in which plaintiffs had challenged PM USA’s retail promotional and merchandising programs under the Robinson-Patman Act.

Of the 17 cases in which verdicts were returned in favor of plaintiffs, eight have reached final resolution. A verdict against defendants in one health care cost recovery case has been reversed and all claims were dismissed with prejudice. In addition, a verdict against defendants in a purported “Lights” class action in Illinois has been reversed and the case has been dismissed with prejudice. After exhausting all appeals, PM USA has paid judgments totaling $73.5 million and interest totaling $35.1 million.

The chart below lists the verdicts and post-trial developments in the nine pending cases that have gone to trial since January 1999 in which verdicts were returned in favor of plaintiffs.

 

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Date

  

Location of

Court/ Name

of

Plaintiff

  

Type of Case

  

Verdict

  

Post-Trial Developments

May 2007    California/ Whiteley    Individual Smoking and Health    Approximately $2.5 million in compensatory damages against PM USA and the other defendant in the case, as well as $250,000 in punitive damages against the other defendant in the case.    In July 2007, the trial court granted plaintiffs’ motion for a limited re-trial against PM USA on the question of whether plaintiffs are entitled to punitive damages against PM USA, and if so, the amount. In October 2007, the jury found that plaintiffs are not entitled to punitive damages against PM USA. In November, the trial court entered final judgment and PM USA filed a motion for a new trial and for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The trial court rejected these motions in January 2008. In March 2008, PM USA noticed an appeal to the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District and in May 2008, posted a $2.2 million appeal bond.
August 2006    District of Columbia/ United States of America    Health Care Cost Recovery    Finding that defendants, including Altria Group, Inc. and PM USA, violated the civil provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). No monetary damages were assessed, but court made specific findings and issued injunctions. See Federal Government’s Lawsuit below.    See Federal Government’s Lawsuit below.

 

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Date

  

Location of

Court/ Name

of

Plaintiff

  

Type of Case

  

Verdict

  

Post-Trial Developments

March 2005    New York/ Rose    Individual Smoking and Health    $3.42 million in compensatory damages against two defendants, including PM USA, and $17.1 million in punitive damages against PM USA.    On April 10, 2008, an intermediate New York appellate court reversed the verdict and vacated the compensatory and punitive damages awards against PM USA. Plaintiff has appealed to New York’s highest court. Argument is scheduled for November 18, 2008.
May 2004    Louisiana/ Scott    Smoking and Health Class Action    Approximately $590 million against all defendants, including PM USA, jointly and severally, to fund a 10-year smoking cessation program.    See Scott Class Action below.
October 2002    California/ Bullock    Individual Smoking and Health    $850,000 in compensatory damages and $28 billion in punitive damages against PM USA.    In December 2002, the trial court reduced the punitive damages award to $28 million. In April 2006, the California Court of Appeal affirmed the $28 million punitive damages award. In January 2008, the California Court of Appeal reversed the judgment with respect to the $28 million punitive damages award, affirmed the judgment in all other respects, and remanded the case to the trial court to conduct a new trial on the amount of punitive damages. In April 2008, the California Supreme Court denied PM USA’s petition for review. See discussion (1) below.

 

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Date

  

Location of

Court/ Name

of

Plaintiff

  

Type of Case

  

Verdict

  

Post-Trial Developments

June 2002   

Florida/

Lukacs

   Individual Smoking and Health    $37.5 million in compensatory damages against all defendants, including PM USA.    In March 2003, the trial court reduced the damages award to $24.86 million. PM USA’s share of the damages award is approximately $6 million. In January 2007, defendants petitioned the trial court to set aside the jury’s verdict and dismiss plaintiffs’ punitive damages claim. On August 14, 2008, the trial court granted plaintiffs’ motion for entry of judgment and ordered compensatory damages of $24.8 million plus interest from the date of the verdict. On August 15, 2008, PM USA filed a motion for reconsideration.
March 2002    Oregon/ Schwarz    Individual Smoking and Health    $168,500 in compensatory damages and $150 million in punitive damages against PM USA.    In May 2002, the trial court reduced the punitive damages award to $100 million. In May 2006, the Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed the compensatory damages verdict, reversed the award of punitive damages and remanded the case to the trial court for a second trial to determine the amount of punitive damages, if any. In June 2006, plaintiff petitioned the Oregon Supreme Court to review the portion of the Court of Appeals’ decision reversing and remanding the case for a new trial on punitive damages. In

 

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Date

  

Location of

Court/ Name

of

Plaintiff

  

Type of Case

  

Verdict

  

Post-Trial Developments

            October 2006, the Oregon Supreme Court announced that it would hold this petition in abeyance until the United States Supreme Court decided the Williams case discussed below. In February 2007, the United States Supreme Court vacated the punitive damages judgment in Williams and remanded the case to the Oregon Supreme Court for proceedings consistent with its decision. The parties have submitted their briefs to the Oregon Supreme Court setting forth their respective views on how the Williams decision impacts the plaintiff’s pending petition for review.
July 2000   

Florida/

Engle

   Smoking and Health Class Action    $145 billion in punitive damages against all defendants, including $74 billion against PM USA.    See Engle Class Action below.
March 1999    Oregon/ Williams    Individual Smoking and Health    $800,000 in compensatory damages (capped statutorily at $500,000), $21,500 in medical expenses and $79.5 million in punitive damages against PM USA.    See discussion (2) below.

 

(1)

Bullock: In August 2006, the California Supreme Court denied plaintiffs’ petition to overturn the trial court’s reduction of the punitive damages award and granted PM USA’s petition for review challenging the punitive damages award. The court granted review of the case on a “grant and hold” basis under which further action by the court was deferred pending the United States Supreme Court’s decision on punitive damages in the Williams case described below. In February 2007, the United States Supreme Court vacated the punitive damages judgment in Williams and remanded the case to the Oregon Supreme Court for proceedings consistent with its decision. Parties to the appeal in Bullock requested that the court establish a briefing schedule on the merits of the pending appeal. In May 2007, the California Supreme Court transferred the case to the Second District of the California Court of Appeal with directions that the court vacate its 2006 decision and reconsider the

 

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case in light of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Williams. In January 2008, the California Court of Appeal reversed the judgment with respect to the $28 million punitive damages award, affirmed the judgment in all other respects, and remanded the case to the trial court to conduct a new trial on the amount of punitive damages. In March 2008, plaintiffs and PM USA appealed to the California Supreme Court. In April 2008, the California Supreme Court denied both petitions for review. Following this decision, PM USA decided to record a provision for compensatory damages of $850,000 plus costs and interest in the second quarter. The case has been remanded to the superior court for a new trial on the amount of punitive damages, if any. In July 2008, $43.3 million of U.S. Treasury Bills in escrow were returned to PM USA.

 

(2)

Williams: The trial court reduced the punitive damages award to $32 million, and PM USA and plaintiff appealed. In June 2002, the Oregon Court of Appeals reinstated the $79.5 million punitive damages award. Following the Oregon Supreme Court’s refusal to hear PM USA’s appeal, PM USA recorded a provision of $32 million in connection with this case and petitioned the United States Supreme Court for further review. In October 2003, the United States Supreme Court set aside the Oregon appellate court’s ruling and directed the Oregon court to reconsider the case in light of the 2003 State Farm decision by the United States Supreme Court, which limited punitive damages. In June 2004, the Oregon Court of Appeals reinstated the $79.5 million punitive damages award. In February 2006, the Oregon Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeals’ decision. Following this decision, PM USA recorded an additional provision of approximately $25 million in interest charges related to this case. The United States Supreme Court granted PM USA’s petition for writ of certiorari in May 2006. In February 2007, the United States Supreme Court vacated the $79.5 million punitive damages award, holding that the United States Constitution prohibits basing punitive damages awards on harm to non-parties. The Court also found that states must assure that appropriate procedures are in place so that juries are provided with proper legal guidance as to the constitutional limitations on awards of punitive damages. Accordingly, the Court remanded the case to the Oregon Supreme Court for further proceedings consistent with this decision. In January 2008, the Oregon Supreme Court affirmed the Oregon Court of Appeals’ June 2004 decision, which in turn, upheld the jury’s compensatory damage award and reinstated the jury’s award of $79.5 million in punitive damages. In March 2008, PM USA filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court, which was granted in June 2008. Oral argument before the United States Supreme Court is scheduled for December 3, 2008.

With respect to certain adverse verdicts currently on appeal, as of November 1, 2008, PM USA has posted various forms of security totaling approximately $129 million, the majority of which have been collateralized with cash deposits, to obtain stays of judgments pending appeals. The cash deposits are included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets.

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 posted a bond in the amount of $100 million and appealed.

In May 2001, the trial court approved a stipulation providing that execution of the punitive damages component of the Engle judgment will remain stayed against PM USA and the other participating defendants through the completion of all judicial review. As a result of the stipulation, PM USA placed $500 million into a separate interest-bearing escrow account that, regardless of the outcome of the judicial review, will be paid to the court and the court will determine how to allocate or distribute it consistent with Florida Rules of Civil Procedure. In July 2001, PM USA also placed $1.2 billion into an interest-bearing

 

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escrow account, which was returned to PM USA in December 2007. In addition, the $100 million bond related to the case has been discharged. In connection with the stipulation, PM USA recorded a $500 million pre-tax charge in its consolidated statement of earnings for the quarter ended March 31, 2001. 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 all 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 all defendants were negligent. The court also reinstated compensatory damage awards totaling approximately $6.9 million to two individual plaintiffs and found that a third plaintiff’s claim was barred by the statute of limitations. In February 2008, PM USA paid a total of $2,964,685, which represents its shares of compensatory damages and interest to the two individual plaintiffs identified in the Florida Supreme Court’s order.

In August 2006, PM USA sought rehearing from the Florida Supreme Court on parts of its July 2006 opinion, including the ruling (described above) that certain jury findings have res judicata effect in subsequent individual trials timely brought by Engle class members. The rehearing motion also asked, among other things, that legal errors that were raised but not expressly ruled upon in the Third District Court of Appeal or in the Florida Supreme Court now be addressed. Plaintiffs also filed a motion for rehearing in August 2006 seeking clarification of the applicability of the statute of limitations to non-members of the decertified class. 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 January 2007, the Florida Supreme Court issued the mandate from its revised opinion. Defendants then filed a motion with the Florida Third District Court of Appeal requesting that the court address legal errors that were previously raised by defendants but have not yet been addressed either by the Third District Court of Appeal or by the Florida Supreme Court. In February 2007, the Third District Court of Appeal denied defendants’ motion. In May 2007, defendants’ motion for a partial stay of the mandate pending the completion of appellate review was denied by the Third District Court of Appeal. In May 2007, defendants filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court. In October 2007, the United States Supreme Court denied defendants’ petition. In November 2007, the United States Supreme Court denied defendants’ petition for rehearing from the denial of their petition for writ of certiorari.

By the January 11, 2008 deadline required by the Florida Supreme Court’s decision, approximately 2,335 cases had been served upon PM USA or Altria Group, Inc. asserting individual claims on or on behalf of approximately 9,121 plaintiffs. It is possible that some of these cases are duplicates and additional cases have been filed but not yet recorded on the courts’ dockets. Some of these cases have been removed from

 

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various Florida state courts to the federal district courts in Florida, while others were filed in federal court. In July 2007, PM USA and other defendants requested that the multi-district litigation panel order the transfer of all such cases pending in the federal courts, as well as any other Engle-progeny cases that may be filed, to the Middle District of Florida for pretrial coordination. The panel denied this request in December 2007. In October 2007, attorneys for plaintiffs filed a motion to consolidate all pending and future cases filed in the state trial court in Hillsborough County. The court denied this motion in November 2007. In February 2008, the trial court decertified the class except for purposes of the May 2001 bond stipulation, and formally vacated the punitive damage award pursuant to the Florida Supreme Court’s mandate. In April 2008, the trial court ruled that certain defendants, including PM USA, lacked standing with respect to allocation of the funds escrowed under the May 2001 bond stipulation and will receive no credit at this time from the $500 million paid by PM USA against any future punitive damages awards in cases brought by former Engle class members.

In May 2008, the trial court, among other things, decertified the limited class maintained for purposes of the May 2001 bond stipulation and, in July 2008, severed the remaining plaintiffs’ claims except for those of Howard Engle. The only remaining plaintiff in the Engle case, Howard Engle, voluntarily dismissed his claims with prejudice. In July 2008, attorneys for a putative former Engle class member petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to permit members of the Engle class additional time to file individual lawsuits.

Three federal district courts (in the Merlob, Brown and Burr cases) have ruled that the findings in the first phase of the Engle proceedings cannot be used to satisfy elements of plaintiffs’ claims, and two of those rulings (Brown and Burr) have been certified by the trial court for interlocutory review. The certification in both cases has been granted by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Approximately 4,000 Engle progeny cases pending in the federal district courts in the Middle District of Florida have been stayed pending interlocutory review by the Eleventh Circuit. Several state trial court judges have issued contrary rulings that allowed plaintiffs to use the Engle findings to establish elements of their claims and required certain defenses to be stricken.

Scott Class Action

In July 2003, following the first phase of the trial in the Scott class action, in which plaintiffs sought creation of a fund to pay for medical monitoring and smoking cessation programs, a Louisiana jury returned a verdict in favor of defendants, including PM USA, in connection with plaintiffs’ medical monitoring claims, but also found that plaintiffs could benefit from smoking cessation assistance. The jury also found that cigarettes as designed are not defective but that the defendants failed to disclose all they knew about smoking and diseases and marketed their products to minors. In May 2004, in the second phase of the trial, the jury awarded plaintiffs approximately $590 million against all defendants jointly and severally, to fund a 10-year smoking cessation program.

In June 2004, the court entered judgment, which awarded plaintiffs the approximately $590 million jury award plus prejudgment interest accruing from the date the suit commenced. PM USA’s share of the jury award and prejudgment interest has not been allocated. Defendants, including PM USA, appealed. Pursuant to a stipulation of the parties, the trial court entered an order setting the amount of the bond at $50 million for all defendants in accordance with an article of the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, and a Louisiana statute (the “bond cap law”), fixing the amount of security in civil cases involving a signatory to the MSA (as defined below). Under the terms of the stipulation, plaintiffs reserve the right to contest, at a later date, the sufficiency or amount of the bond on any grounds including the applicability or constitutionality of the bond cap law. In September 2004, defendants collectively posted a bond in the amount of $50 million.

In February 2007, the Louisiana Court of Appeal issued a ruling on defendants’ appeal that, among other things: affirmed class certification but limited the scope of the class; struck certain of the categories of damages that comprised the judgment, reducing the amount of the award by approximately $312 million;

 

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vacated the award of prejudgment interest, which totaled approximately $444 million as of February 15, 2007; and ruled that the only class members who are eligible to participate in the smoking cessation program are those who began smoking before, and whose claims accrued by, September 1, 1988. As a result, the Louisiana Court of Appeal remanded the case for proceedings consistent with its opinion, including further reduction of the amount of the award based on the size of the new class. In March 2007, the Louisiana Court of Appeal rejected defendants’ motion for rehearing and clarification. In January 2008, the Louisiana Supreme Court denied plaintiffs’ and defendants’ petitions for writ of certiorari. Following the Louisiana Supreme Court’s denial of defendants’ petition for writ of certiorari, PM USA recorded a provision of $26 million in connection with the case. In March 2008, plaintiffs filed a motion to execute the approximately $279 million judgment plus post-judgment interest or, in the alternative, for an order to the parties to submit revised damages figures. Defendants filed a motion to have judgment entered in favor of defendants based on accrual of all class member claims after September 1, 1988 or, in the alternative, for the entry of a case management order. In April 2008, the Louisiana Supreme Court denied defendants’ motion to stay proceedings and the defendants filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court. In June 2008, the United States Supreme Court denied the defendant’s petition. Plaintiffs filed a motion to enter judgment in the amount of approximately $280 million (subsequently changed to approximately $264 million) and defendants filed a motion to enter judgment in their favor dismissing the case entirely or, alternatively, to enter a case management order for a new trial. In July 2008, the trial court entered an Amended Judgment and Reasons for Judgment denying both motions, but ordering defendants to deposit into the registry of the court the sum of $263,532,762 plus post-judgment interest of $87.7 million (as of November 1, 2008). The Reasons for Judgment, however, state that the judgment award “may be satisfied with something less than a full cash payment now” and that the court would “favorably consider” returning unused funds annually to defendants if monies allocated for that year were not fully expended. On September 9, 2008, defendants filed an application for writ of mandamus or supervisory writ to secure the right to appeal with the Louisiana Circuit Court of Appeals and the court issued an order staying execution of the amended final judgment pending future order of the court.

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 deceptive trade practice laws and consumer protection statutes, and claims under the federal and state anti-racketeering statutes. Plaintiffs in the smoking and health actions 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.

In July 2008, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department in Fabiano, an individual personal injury case, held that plaintiffs’ punitive damages claim was barred by the MSA (as defined below) based on principles of res judicata because the New York Attorney General had already litigated the punitive damages claim on behalf of all New York residents. On August 28, 2008, plaintiffs filed a motion for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeals. On September 9, 2008 PM USA filed a motion in opposition.

 

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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 purport to be brought on behalf of residents of a particular state or states (although a few cases purport to be nationwide in scope) and raise addiction claims and, in many cases, claims of physical injury as well.

Class certification has been denied or reversed by courts in 57 smoking and health class actions involving PM USA in Arkansas (1), the District of Columbia (2), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Iowa (1), Kansas (1), Louisiana (1), Maryland (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (1), Nevada (29), New Jersey (6), New York (2), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (1), Pennsylvania (1), Puerto Rico (1), South Carolina (1), Texas (1) and Wisconsin (1). A class remains certified in the Scott class action discussed above.

Two purported class actions pending against PM USA have been brought in New York (Caronia, filed in January 2006 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York) and Massachusetts (Donovan, filed in December 2006, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts) on behalf of each state’s respective residents who: are age 50 or older; have smoked the Marlboro brand for 20 pack-years or more; and have neither been diagnosed with lung cancer nor are under investigation by a physician for suspected lung cancer. Plaintiffs in these cases seek to impose liability under various product-based causes of action and the creation of a court-supervised program providing members of the purported class Low Dose CT Scanning in order to identify and diagnose lung cancer. Neither claim seeks punitive damages. Plaintiffs’ motion for class certification is pending in Caronia. Defendants’ motions for summary judgment and judgment on the pleadings and plaintiffs’ motion for class certification are pending in Donovan.

Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation

Overview

In health care cost recovery litigation, governmental entities and non-governmental plaintiffs seek reimbursement of health care cost expenditures allegedly caused by tobacco products and, in some cases, of future expenditures and damages as well. 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.

The claims asserted include the claim that cigarette manufacturers were “unjustly enriched” by plaintiffs’ payment of health care costs allegedly attributable to smoking, as well as claims of indemnity, negligence, strict liability, breach of express and implied warranty, violation of a voluntary undertaking or special duty, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, conspiracy, public nuisance, claims under federal and state statutes governing consumer fraud, antitrust, deceptive trade practices and false advertising, and claims under federal and state anti-racketeering statutes.

Defenses raised include lack of proximate cause, remoteness of injury, failure to state a valid claim, lack of benefit, adequate remedy at law, “unclean hands” (namely, that plaintiffs cannot obtain equitable relief because they participated in, and benefited from, the sale of cigarettes), lack of antitrust standing and injury, federal preemption, lack of statutory authority to bring suit, and statutes of limitations. In addition, defendants argue that they should be entitled to “set off” any alleged damages to the extent the plaintiffs benefit economically from the sale of cigarettes through the receipt of excise taxes or otherwise. Defendants also argue that these cases are improper because plaintiffs must proceed under principles of

 

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subrogation and assignment. Under traditional theories of recovery, a payor of medical costs (such as an insurer) can seek recovery of health care costs from a third party solely by “standing in the shoes” of the injured party. Defendants argue that plaintiffs should be required to bring any actions as subrogees of individual health care recipients and should be subject to all defenses available against the injured party.

Although there have been some decisions to the contrary, most judicial decisions have dismissed all or most health care cost recovery claims against cigarette manufacturers. Nine federal circuit courts of appeals and six 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 United States Supreme Court has refused to consider plaintiffs’ appeals from the cases decided by five circuit courts of appeals.

In March 1999, in the first health care cost recovery case to go to trial, an Ohio jury returned a verdict in favor of defendants on all counts. In addition, a $17.8 million verdict against defendants (including $6.8 million against PM USA) was reversed in a health care cost recovery case in New York, and all claims were dismissed with prejudice in February 2005 (Blue Cross/Blue Shield). The trial in the health care cost recovery case brought by the City of St. Louis, Missouri and approximately 40 Missouri hospitals, in which PM USA and Altria Group, Inc. are defendants, is scheduled to begin in January 2010.

Individuals and associations have also sued in purported class actions or as private attorneys general under the Medicare as Secondary Payer (“MSP”) provisions of the Social Security Act to recover from defendants Medicare expenditures allegedly incurred for the treatment of smoking-related diseases. Cases brought in New York (Mason), Florida (Glover) and Massachusetts (United Seniors Association) have been dismissed by federal courts, and plaintiffs appealed in United Seniors Association. In August 2007, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed the district court’s dismissal in United Seniors Association and, in January 2008, the United States Supreme Court denied plaintiff’s petition for writ of certiorari. In April 2008, an action, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, et al. v. Philip Morris USA, et al. (“National Committee I”), was brought under the Medicare as Secondary Payer statute in the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of and for Miami County, Florida, but was dismissed voluntarily in May 2008. The action purported to be brought on behalf of Medicare to recover an unspecified amount of damages equal to double the amount paid by Medicare for smoking-related health care services provided from April 19, 2002 to the present. In May 2008, an action, National Committee to Preserve Social Security, et al. v. Philip Morris USA, et al., was brought under the Medicare as Secondary Payer statute in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. This action was brought by the same plaintiffs as National Committee I and similarly purports to be brought on behalf of Medicare to recover an unspecified amount of damages equal to double the amount paid by Medicare for smoking-related health care services provided from May 21, 2002 to the present. In July 2008, defendants filed a motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ claims and plaintiffs filed a motion for partial summary judgment.

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, in Israel (1), the Marshall Islands (1 dismissed), and Canada (2) and other entities have stated that they are considering filing such actions. In September 2005, in the first of the two health care recovery cases filed in Canada, the Canadian Supreme Court ruled that legislation passed in British Columbia permitting the lawsuit is constitutional, and, as a result, the case, which had previously been dismissed by the trial court, was permitted to proceed. PM USA’s and other defendants’ challenge to the British Columbia court’s exercise of jurisdiction was rejected by the Court of Appeals of British Columbia and, in April 2007, the Supreme Court of Canada denied review of that decision. During 2008, the Province of New Brunswick, Canada, proclaimed into law previously adopted legislation allowing reimbursement claims to be brought against cigarette manufacturers, and it filed suit shortly thereafter. Altria Group, Inc. and PM USA are named as defendants in New Brunswick’s case. Several other provinces in Canada have enacted similar legislation

 

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or are in the process of enacting similar legislation. See “Third Party Guarantees” for a discussion of the Distribution Agreement between Altria Group, Inc. 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 United States tobacco product manufacturers entered into the Master Settlement Agreement (the “MSA”) with 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas to settle asserted and unasserted health care cost recovery and other claims. PM USA and certain other United States tobacco product manufacturers had previously settled 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 make substantial annual payments of $9.4 billion each year (excluding future annual payments, if any, under the National Tobacco Grower Settlement Trust discussed below), subject to adjustments for several factors, including inflation, market share and industry volume. In addition, the original participating manufacturers are required to pay settling plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees, subject to an annual cap of $500 million.

The State Settlement Agreements also include provisions relating to advertising and marketing restrictions, public disclosure of certain industry documents, limitations on challenges to certain tobacco control and underage use laws, restrictions on lobbying activities and other provisions.

Possible Adjustments in MSA Payments for 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006

Pursuant to the provisions of the MSA, domestic tobacco product manufacturers, including PM USA, who are original signatories to the MSA (the “Original Participating Manufacturers” or “OPMs”) are participating in proceedings that may result in downward adjustments to the amounts paid by the OPMs and the other MSA participating manufacturers to the states and territories that are parties to the MSA for the years 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. The proceedings are based on the collective loss of market share for 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively, by all participating manufacturers who are subject to the payment obligations and marketing restrictions of the MSA to non-participating manufacturers (“NPMs”) who are not subject to such obligations and restrictions.

In these proceedings, an independent economic consulting firm jointly selected by the MSA parties or otherwise selected pursuant to the MSA’s provisions is required to determine whether the disadvantages of the MSA were a “significant factor” contributing to the collective loss of market share for the year in question. If the firm determines that the disadvantages of the MSA were such a “significant factor,” each state may avoid a downward adjustment to its share of the participating manufacturers’ annual payments for that year by establishing that it diligently enforced a qualifying escrow statute during the entirety of that year. Any potential downward adjustment would then be reallocated to those states that do not establish such diligent enforcement. PM USA believes that the MSA’s arbitration clause requires a state to submit its claim to have diligently enforced a qualifying escrow statute to binding arbitration before a panel of three former federal judges in the manner provided for in the MSA. A number of states have taken the position that this claim should be decided in state court on a state-by-state basis.

In March 2006, an independent economic consulting firm determined that the disadvantages of the MSA were a significant factor contributing to the participating manufacturers’ collective loss of market share for the year 2003. In February 2007, this same firm determined that the disadvantages of the MSA were a significant factor contributing to the participating manufacturers’ collective loss of market share for the year 2004. In February 2008, the same economic consulting firm determined that the disadvantages of the MSA were a significant factor contributing to the participating manufacturers’ collective loss of market

 

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share for the year 2005. A different economic consulting firm has been selected to make the “significant factor” determination regarding the participating manufacturers’ collective loss of market share for the year 2006. The new firm’s decision with respect to 2006 is expected in March 2009.

Following the economic consulting firm’s determination with respect to 2003, thirty-eight states filed declaratory judgment actions in state courts seeking a declaration that the state diligently enforced its escrow statute during 2003. The OPMs and other MSA-participating manufacturers have responded to these actions by filing motions to compel arbitration in accordance with the terms of the MSA, including filing motions to compel arbitration in eleven MSA states and territories that have not filed declaratory judgment actions. Courts in all 46 MSA states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have ruled that the question of whether a state diligently enforced its escrow statute during 2003 is subject to arbitration. Several of these rulings remain subject to appeal or further review. Additionally, Ohio filed a declaratory judgment action in state court with respect to the 2004 diligent enforcement issue. The action has been stayed pending the decision about the 2003 payments.

The availability and the precise amount of any NPM adjustment for 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 will not be finally determined until 2009 or thereafter. There is no certainty that the OPMs and other MSA-participating manufacturers will ultimately receive any adjustment as a result of these proceedings. If the OPMs do receive such an adjustment through these proceedings, the adjustment would be allocated among the OPMs pursuant to the MSA’s provisions, and PM USA’s share would likely be applied as a credit against one or several future MSA payments.

National Grower Settlement Trust

As part of the MSA, the settling defendants committed to work cooperatively with the tobacco-growing states to address concerns about the potential adverse economic impact of the MSA on tobacco growers and quota holders. To that end, in 1999, four of the major domestic tobacco product manufacturers, including PM USA, established the National Tobacco Grower Settlement Trust (“NTGST”), a trust fund to provide aid to tobacco growers and quota holders. The trust was to be funded by these four manufacturers over 12 years with payments, prior to application of various adjustments, scheduled to total $5.15 billion. Provisions of the NTGST allowed for offsets to the extent that industry-funded payments were made for the benefit of growers or quota holders as part of a legislated end to the federal tobacco quota and price support program.

In October 2004, the Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 (“FETRA”) was signed into law. FETRA provides for the elimination of the federal tobacco quota and price support program through an industry-funded buy-out of tobacco growers and quota holders. The cost of the buy-out, which is estimated at approximately $9.5 billion, is being paid over 10 years by manufacturers and importers of each kind of tobacco product. The cost is being allocated based on the relative market shares of manufacturers and importers of each kind of tobacco product. The quota buy-out payments offset already scheduled payments to the NTGST. However, two of the grower states, Maryland and Pennsylvania, have filed claims in the North Carolina state courts, asserting that the companies which established the NTGST (including PM USA) must continue making payments under the NTGST through 2010 for the benefit of Maryland and Pennsylvania growers (such continuing payments would represent slightly more than one percent of the originally scheduled payments that would have been due to the NTGST for the years 2005 through 2010) notwithstanding the offsets resulting from the FETRA payments. The North Carolina trial court has held in favor of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and the companies (including PM USA) have appealed. The North Carolina Court of Appeals heard oral argument in August 2008. In addition to the approximately $9.5 billion cost of the buy-out, FETRA also obligated manufacturers and importers of tobacco products to cover any losses (up to $500 million) that the government incurred on the disposition of tobacco pool stock

 

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accumulated under the previous tobacco price support program. PM USA has paid $138 million for its share of the tobacco pool stock losses. Altria Group, Inc. does not currently anticipate that the quota buy-out will have a material adverse impact on its consolidated results in 2008 and beyond.

Other MSA-Related Litigation

PM USA was named as a defendant in an action brought on October 28, 2008 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky by an MSA participating manufacturer that is not an OPM. Other defendants include various other participating manufacturers and the Attorneys General of all 52 States and Territories that are parties to the MSA. The plaintiff alleges that certain of the MSA’s payment provisions discriminate against it in favor of certain other participating manufacturers in violation of the federal antitrust laws and the United States Constitution. The plaintiff is seeking injunctive relief, alteration of certain MSA payment provisions as applied to it, treble damages under the federal antitrust laws, and/or rescission of its joinder in the MSA. The plaintiff has also filed a motion for a preliminary injunction enjoining the States from enforcing the allegedly discriminatory payment provisions against it during the pendency of action.

Without naming PM USA or any other private party as a defendant, manufacturers that have elected not to sign the MSA (NPMs) and/or their distributors or customers have filed several legal challenges to the MSA and related legislation. New York state officials are defendants in a lawsuit pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in which cigarette importers allege that the MSA and/or related legislation violates federal antitrust laws and the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. In a separate proceeding pending in the same court, plaintiffs assert the same theories against not only New York officials but also the Attorneys General for thirty other states. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that the allegations in both actions, if proven, establish a basis for relief on antitrust and Commerce Clause grounds and that the trial courts in New York have personal jurisdiction sufficient to enjoin other states’ officials from enforcing their MSA-related legislation. On remand in those two actions, one trial judge preliminarily enjoined New York from enforcing its “allocable share” amendment to the MSA’s Model Escrow Statute against the plaintiffs, while another trial judge refused to do so after concluding that the plaintiffs were unlikely to prove their allegations. Summary judgment motions are pending in one of those cases.

In another action, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed a trial court’s dismissal of challenges to MSA-related legislation in Louisiana under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. The case and another challenge to Louisiana’s participation in the MSA and Louisiana’s MSA-related legislation are scheduled to begin summary judgment proceedings during the fourth quarter of 2008. Another proceeding has been initiated before an international arbitration tribunal under the provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement. A two-day hearing on the merits is scheduled for June 2009. Appeals from trial court decisions holding that plaintiffs have failed either to make allegations establishing a claim for relief or to submit evidence supporting those allegations may soon be filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The United States Courts of Appeals for the Sixth and Ninth Circuits have affirmed the dismissals in two similar challenges. In July 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed dismissals and summary judgment orders in two cases emanating from Kansas and Oklahoma, and in doing so rejected antitrust and constitutional challenges to the allocable share amendment legislation in those states.

Federal Government’s Lawsuit

In 1999, the United States government filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against various cigarette manufacturers, including PM USA, and others, including Altria Group, Inc. asserting claims under three federal statutes, namely the Medical Care Recovery Act (“MCRA”), the MSP provisions of the Social Security Act and the civil provisions of RICO. Trial of the case ended in June 2005. The lawsuit sought to recover an unspecified amount of health care costs for tobacco-related

 

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illnesses allegedly caused by defendants’ fraudulent and tortious conduct and paid for by the government under various federal health care programs, including Medicare, military and veterans’ health benefits programs, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The complaint alleged that such costs total more than $20 billion annually. It also sought what it alleged to be equitable and declaratory relief, including disgorgement of profits which arose from defendants’ allegedly tortious conduct, an injunction prohibiting certain actions by the defendants, and a declaration that the defendants are liable for the federal government’s future costs of providing health care resulting from defendants’ alleged past tortious and wrongful conduct. In September 2000, the trial court dismissed the government’s MCRA and MSP claims, but permitted discovery to proceed on the government’s claims for relief under the civil provisions of RICO.

The government alleged that disgorgement by defendants of approximately $280 billion is an appropriate remedy. In May 2004, the trial court issued an order denying defendants’ motion for partial summary judgment limiting the disgorgement remedy. In February 2005, a panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held that disgorgement is not a remedy available to the government under the civil provisions of RICO and entered summary judgment in favor of defendants with respect to the disgorgement claim. In April 2005, the Court of Appeals denied the government’s motion for rehearing. In July 2005, the government petitioned the United States Supreme Court for further review of the Court of Appeals’ ruling that disgorgement is not an available remedy, and in October 2005, the Supreme Court denied the petition.

In June 2005, the government filed with the trial court its proposed final judgment seeking remedies of approximately $14 billion, including $10 billion over a five-year period to fund a national smoking cessation program and $4 billion over a ten-year period to fund a public education and counter-marketing campaign. Further, the government’s proposed remedy would have required defendants to pay additional monies to these programs if targeted reductions in the smoking rate of those under 21 are not achieved according to a prescribed timetable. The government’s proposed remedies also included a series of measures and restrictions applicable to cigarette business operations — including, but not limited to, restrictions on advertising and marketing, potential measures with respect to certain price promotional activities and research and development, disclosure requirements for certain confidential data and implementation of a monitoring system with potential broad powers over cigarette operations.

In August 2006, the federal trial court entered judgment in favor of the government. The court held that certain defendants, including Altria Group, Inc. and PM USA, violated RICO and engaged in 7 of the 8 “sub-schemes” to defraud that the government had alleged. Specifically, the court found that:

 

   

defendants falsely denied, distorted and minimized the significant adverse health consequences of smoking;

 

   

defendants hid from the public that cigarette smoking and nicotine are addictive;

 

   

defendants falsely denied that they control the level of nicotine delivered to create and sustain addiction;

 

   

defendants falsely marketed and promoted “low tar/light” cigarettes as less harmful than full-flavor cigarettes;

 

   

defendants falsely denied that they intentionally marketed to youth;

 

   

defendants publicly and falsely denied that ETS is hazardous to non-smokers; and

 

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defendants suppressed scientific research.

The court did not impose monetary penalties on the defendants, but ordered the following relief: (i) an injunction against “committing any act of racketeering” relating to the manufacturing, marketing, promotion, health consequences or sale of cigarettes in the United States; (ii) an injunction against participating directly or indirectly in the management or control of the Council for Tobacco Research, the Tobacco Institute, or the Center for Indoor Air Research, or any successor or affiliated entities of each; (iii) an injunction against “making, or causing to be made in any way, any material false, misleading, or deceptive statement or representation or engaging in any public relations or marketing endeavor that is disseminated to the United States public and that misrepresents or suppresses information concerning cigarettes”; (iv) an injunction against conveying any express or implied health message through use of 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; (v) 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 environmental tobacco smoke; (vi) the disclosure on defendants’ public document websites and in the Minnesota document repository of all documents produced to the government in the lawsuit or produced in any future court or administrative action concerning smoking and health until 2021, with certain additional requirements as to documents withheld from production under a claim of privilege or confidentiality; (vii) the disclosure of disaggregated marketing data to the government in the same form and on the same schedule as defendants now follow in disclosing such data to the Federal Trade Commission, for a period of ten years; (viii) certain restrictions on the sale or transfer by defendants of any cigarette brands, brand names, formulas or cigarette businesses within the United States; and (ix) payment of the government’s costs in bringing the action.

In September 2006, defendants filed notices of appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In September 2006, the trial court denied defendants’ motion to stay the judgment pending defendants’ appeals, and defendants then filed an emergency motion with the Court of Appeals to stay enforcement of the judgment pending their appeals. In October 2006, the government filed a notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals in which it appeals the denial of certain remedies, including the disgorgement of profits and the cessation remedies it had sought. In October 2006, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals granted defendants’ motion and stayed the trial court’s judgment pending its review of the decision. Certain defendants, including PM USA and Altria Group, Inc., filed a motion to clarify the trial court’s August 2006 Final Judgment and Remedial Order. In March 2007, the trial court denied in part and granted in part defendants’ post-trial motion for clarification of portions of the court’s remedial order. As noted above, the trial court’s judgment and remedial order remain stayed pending the appeal to the Court of Appeals. Oral argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was heard on October 14, 2008.

“Lights/Ultra Lights” Cases

Overview

Plaintiffs in these class actions (some of which have not been certified as such), allege, among other things, that the uses of the terms “Lights” and/or “Ultra Lights” constitute deceptive and unfair trade practices, common law fraud, or RICO violations, and seek 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 Group, Inc. or its subsidiaries, on behalf of individuals who purchased and

 

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consumed various brands of cigarettes, including Marlboro Lights, Marlboro Ultra Lights, Virginia Slims Lights and Superslims, Merit Lights and Cambridge Lights. Defenses raised in these cases include lack of misrepresentation, lack of causation, injury, and damages, the statute of limitations, express preemption by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act and implied preemption by the policies and directives of the Federal Trade Commission, non-liability under state statutory provisions exempting conduct that complies with federal regulatory directives, and the First Amendment. Seventeen cases are pending in Arkansas (2), Delaware (1), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Maine (1), Massachusetts (1), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (1), New York (1), Oregon (1), Tennessee (1), and West Virginia (2). In addition, a purported “Lights” class action is pending against PM USA in Israel. Other entities have stated that they are considering filing such actions against Altria Group, Inc. and PM USA.

The Good Case

In May 2006, a federal trial court in Maine granted PM USA’s motion for summary judgment in Good, a purported “Lights” class action, on the grounds that plaintiffs’ claims are preempted by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act and dismissed the case. In August 2007, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit vacated the district court’s grant of PM USA’s motion for summary judgment on federal preemption grounds and remanded the case to district court. The district court stayed the case pending the United States Supreme Court’s ruling on defendants’ petition for writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court, which was granted on January 18, 2008. The case has been stayed pending the United States Supreme Court’s decision. The United States Supreme Court heard oral argument on October 6, 2008.

“Lights” Cases Dismissed, Not Certified or Ordered De-Certified

To date, 12 courts in 13 cases have refused to certify class actions, reversed prior class certification decisions or have entered judgment in favor of PM USA. Trial courts in Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and New Jersey have refused to certify a class, an appellate court in Florida has overturned class certification by a trial court, the Ohio Supreme Court has overturned class certifications in two cases, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has dismissed a purported “Lights” class action brought in Louisiana federal court (Sullivan) on the grounds that plaintiffs’ claims were preempted by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed an action in a federal trial court in Michigan after the court dismissed claims asserted under the Michigan Unfair Trade and Consumer Protection Act, and the Supreme Court of Illinois has overturned a judgment in favor of a plaintiff class in the Price case. An intermediate appellate court in Oregon and the Supreme Court in Washington have denied plaintiffs’ motions for interlocutory review of the trial courts’ refusals to certify a class. In the Oregon case (Pearson), in February 2007, PM USA filed a motion for summary judgment based on federal preemption and the Oregon statutory exemption. In September 2007, the District Court granted PM USA’s motion based on express preemption under the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, and plaintiffs appealed this dismissal to the Oregon Court of Appeals. In February 2008, the parties filed a joint motion to hold the appeal in abeyance pending the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Good, which motion was denied. Plaintiffs in the case in Washington voluntarily dismissed the case with prejudice. Plaintiffs in the New Mexico case renewed their motion for class certification, but the case has been stayed pending the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Good. Plaintiffs in the Florida case (Hines) petitioned the Florida Supreme Court for further review, and in January 2008, the Florida Supreme Court denied this petition. The Hines court, in July 2008, stayed the case pending the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Good.

In September 2005, a New York federal trial court in Schwab granted in part defendants’ motion for partial summary judgment dismissing plaintiffs’ claims for equitable relief and denied a number of plaintiffs’

 

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motions for summary judgment. In November 2005, the trial court ruled that the plaintiffs would be permitted to calculate damages on an aggregate basis and use “fluid recovery” theories to allocate them among class members. In September 2006, the trial court denied defendants’ summary judgment motions and granted plaintiffs’ motion for certification of a nationwide class of all United States residents that purchased cigarettes in the United States that were labeled “light” or “lights” from the first date defendants began selling such cigarettes until the date trial commences. The court also declined to certify the order for interlocutory appeal, declined to stay the case and ordered jury selection to begin in January 2007, with trial scheduled to begin immediately after the jury is impaneled. In October 2006, a single judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit granted PM USA’s petition for a temporary stay of pre-trial and trial proceedings pending disposition of the petitions for stay and interlocutory review by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals. In November 2006, the Second Circuit granted interlocutory review of the trial court’s class certification order and stayed the case before the trial court pending the appeal. In April 2008, the Second Circuit overturned the trial court’s class certification decision.

Trial Court Class Certifications

Trial courts have certified classes against PM USA in Massachusetts (Aspinall), Minnesota (Curtis), and Missouri (Craft). PM USA has appealed or otherwise challenged these class certification orders. Developments in these cases include:

 

   

Aspinall: In August 2004, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the class certification order. In August 2006, the trial court denied PM USA’s motion for summary judgment based on the state consumer protection statutory exemption and federal preemption. On motion of the parties, the trial court has subsequently reported its decision to deny summary judgment to the appeals court for review and the trial court proceedings are stayed pending completion of the appellate review. Motions for direct appellate review with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court were granted in April 2007 and oral arguments were heard in January 2008. In March 2008, the Supreme Judicial Court issued an order staying the proceedings pending the resolution of Good.

 

   

Curtis: In April 2005, the Minnesota Supreme Court denied PM USA’s petition for interlocutory review of the trial court’s class certification order. In September 2005, PM USA removed Curtis to federal court based on the Eighth Circuit’s decision in Watson, which upheld the removal of a “Lights” case to federal court based on the “federal officer” jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission. In February 2006, the federal court denied plaintiffs’ motion to remand the case to state court. The case was stayed pending the outcome of Dahl v. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which was argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in December 2006. In February 2007, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued its ruling in Dahl, and reversed the federal district court’s denial of plaintiffs’ motion to remand that case to the state trial court. In October 2007, the federal district court remanded the Curtis case to state court. In December 2007, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed the trial court’s determination in Dahl that plaintiffs’ claims in that case were subject to express preemption and defendant in that case has petitioned the Minnesota Supreme Court for review. Curtis has been stayed pending the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Good.

 

   

Craft: In August 2005, a Missouri Court of Appeals affirmed the class certification order. In September 2005, PM USA removed Craft to federal court based on the Eighth Circuit’s decision in Watson. In March 2006, the federal trial court granted plaintiffs’ motion and remanded the case to the Missouri state trial court. In May 2006, the Missouri Supreme Court declined to review the trial court’s class certification decision. The case has been stayed pending the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Good.

 

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In addition to these cases, in June 2007, the United States Supreme Court reversed the lower court rulings in the Watson case that denied plaintiffs’ motion to have the case heard in a state, as opposed to federal, trial court. The Supreme Court rejected defendants’ contention that the case must be tried in federal court under the “federal officer” statute. The case has been remanded to the state trial court in Arkansas. In March 2008, the case was stayed pending the outcome of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Good. In December 2005, in the Miner case, which was pending at that time in the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, plaintiffs moved for certification of a class composed of individuals who purchased Marlboro Lights or Cambridge Lights brands in Arkansas, California, Colorado, and Michigan. PM USA’s motion for summary judgment based on preemption and the Arkansas statutory exemption is pending. Following the filing of this motion, plaintiffs moved to voluntarily dismiss Miner without prejudice, which PM USA opposed. The court then stayed the case pending the United States Supreme Court’s decision on a petition for writ of certiorari in the Watson case discussed above. In July 2007, the case was remanded to a state trial court in Arkansas. In August 2007, plaintiffs renewed their motion for class certification. In October 2007, the court denied PM USA’s motion to dismiss on procedural grounds and the court entered a case management order. The case is currently stayed pending the outcome of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Good. In addition, plaintiffs’ motion for class certification is pending in a case in Tennessee.

Certain Other Tobacco-Related Litigation

Tobacco Price Cases: As of November 1, 2008, two cases were pending in Kansas and New Mexico in which plaintiffs allege that defendants, including PM USA, conspired to fix cigarette prices in violation of antitrust laws. Altria Group, Inc. is a defendant in the case in Kansas. Plaintiffs’ motions for class certification have been granted in both cases. In June 2006, defendants’ motion for summary judgment was granted in the New Mexico case. Plaintiffs in the New Mexico case have appealed. The case in Kansas had been stayed pending the Kansas Supreme Court’s decision on defendants’ petition regarding certain discovery rulings by the trial court; the Kansas Supreme Court denied the petition in April 2008 and the stay has been lifted.

Cigarette Contraband Cases: In 2008, Canadian authorities concluded their investigation relating to allegations of contraband shipments of cigarettes into Canada in the early to mid-1990s and executed a complete release of Altria Group, Inc. and its affiliates.

Cases Under the California Business and Professions Code: In June 1997, a lawsuit (Brown) was filed in California state court alleging that domestic cigarette manufacturers, including PM USA and others, have violated California Business and Professions Code Sections 17200 and 17500 regarding unfair, unlawful and fraudulent business practices. Class certification was granted as to plaintiffs’ claims that class members are entitled to reimbursement of the costs of cigarettes purchased during the class periods and injunctive relief. In September 2004, the trial court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment as to plaintiffs’ claims attacking defendants’ cigarette advertising and promotion and denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiffs’ claims based on allegedly false affirmative statements. Plaintiffs’ motion for rehearing was denied. In March 2005, the court granted defendants’ motion to decertify the class based on a recent change in California law, which, in two July 2006 opinions, the California Supreme Court ruled applicable to pending cases. Plaintiffs’ motion for reconsideration of the order that decertified the class was denied, and plaintiffs have appealed. In September 2006, an intermediate appellate court affirmed the trial court’s order decertifying the class. In November 2006, the California Supreme Court accepted review of the appellate court’s decision.

In May 2004, a lawsuit (Gurevitch) was filed in California state court on behalf of a purported class of all California residents who purchased the Merit brand of cigarettes since July 2000 to the present alleging

 

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that defendants, including PM USA, violated California’s Business and Professions Code Sections 17200 and 17500 regarding unfair, unlawful and fraudulent business practices, including false and misleading advertising. The complaint also alleges violations of California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act. Plaintiffs seek injunctive relief, disgorgement, restitution, and attorneys’ fees. In July 2005, defendants’ motion to dismiss was granted; however, plaintiffs’ motion for leave to amend the complaint was also granted, and plaintiffs filed an amended complaint in September 2005. In October 2005, the court stayed this action pending the California Supreme Court’s rulings on two cases not involving PM USA. In July 2006, the California Supreme Court issued rulings in the two cases and held that a recent change in California law known as Proposition 64, which limits the ability to bring a lawsuit to only those plaintiffs who have “suffered injury in fact” and “lost money or property” as a result of defendant’s alleged statutory violations, properly applies to pending cases. In September 2006, the stay was lifted and defendants filed their demurrer to plaintiffs’ amended complaint. In March 2007, the court, without ruling on the demurrer, again stayed the action pending rulings from the California Supreme Court in another case involving Proposition 64 that is relevant to PM USA’s demurrer.

In September 2005, a purported class action lawsuit (Reynolds) was filed by a California consumer against PM USA alleging that PM USA violated certain California consumer protection laws in connection with the alleged expiration of Marlboro Miles’ proofs of purchase, which could be used in accordance with the terms and conditions of certain time-limited promotions to acquire merchandise from Marlboro catalogues. PM USA’s motion to dismiss the case was denied in March 2006. In September 2006, PM USA filed a motion for summary judgment as to plaintiff’s claims for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. In October 2006, PM USA filed a second summary judgment motion seeking dismissal of plaintiff’s claims under certain California consumer protection statutes. In June 2007, the court denied PM USA’s motions for summary judgment. In January 2008, PM USA’s application for interlocutory review by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit was granted.

Certain Other Actions

IRS Challenges to PMCC Leases: The IRS concluded its examination of Altria Group, Inc.’s consolidated tax returns for the years 1996 through 1999, and issued a final Revenue Agent’s Report (“RAR”) in March 2006. The RAR disallowed benefits pertaining to certain PMCC leveraged lease transactions for the years 1996 through 1999. Altria Group, Inc. has agreed with all conclusions of the RAR, with the exception of the disallowance of benefits pertaining to several PMCC leveraged lease transactions for the years 1996 through 1999. Altria Group, Inc. contests approximately $150 million of tax and net interest assessed and paid with regard to them. The IRS may in the future challenge and disallow more of PMCC’s leveraged lease benefits based on Revenue Rulings, an IRS Notice and subsequent case law addressing specific types of leveraged leases (lease-in/lease-out (“LILO”) and sale-in/lease-out (“SILO”) transactions). In October 2006, Altria Group, Inc. filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to claim refunds on a portion of these tax payments and associated interest for the years 1996 and 1997. In March 2008, Altria Group, Inc. and the government filed simultaneous motions for summary judgment. Those motions are pending.

In March 2008, Altria Group, Inc. filed a second complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York seeking a refund of the tax payments and associated interest for the years 1998 and 1999 attributable to the disallowance of benefits claimed in those years with respect to the leases included in the October 2006 filing and with respect to certain other leases entered into in 1998 and 1999.

Should Altria Group, Inc. not prevail in this litigation, Altria Group, Inc. may have to accelerate the payment of significant amounts of federal income tax and significantly lower its earnings to reflect the recalculation of the income from the affected leveraged leases, which could have a material effect on the earnings and cash flows of Altria Group, Inc. in a particular fiscal quarter or fiscal year. Altria Group, Inc.

 

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considered this matter in its adoption of FASB Interpretation No. 48 and FASB Staff Position No. FAS 13-2. Related litigation involving another party and a significantly different LILO transaction has been decided in favor of the IRS in a recent decision in the Fourth Circuit. Related litigation involving another party and a significantly different SILO transaction has been decided in favor of the IRS in a recent decision in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

Kraft Thrift Plan Case: Four participants in the Kraft Foods Global, Inc. Thrift Plan (“Kraft Thrift Plan”), a defined contribution plan, filed a class action complaint on behalf of all participants and beneficiaries of the Kraft Thrift Plan in July 2008 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois alleging breach of fiduciary duty under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”). Named defendants in this action include Altria Corporate Services, Inc. (now Altria Client Services Inc.) and certain company committees that allegedly had a relationship to the Kraft Thrift Plan. Plaintiffs request, among other remedies, that defendants restore to the Kraft Thrift Plan all losses improperly incurred. The Altria Group, Inc. defendants deny any violation of ERISA or other unlawful conduct and intend to defend the case vigorously. Under the terms of a Distribution Agreement between Altria Group, Inc. and Kraft, Altria Client Services Inc. and related defendants may be entitled to indemnity against any liabilities incurred in connection with this case.

UST Litigation: On September 8, 2008, plaintiffs filed a purported class action on behalf of a purported class of UST Inc. stockholders in Superior Court in Connecticut to enjoin the proposed acquisition of UST Inc. by Altria Group, Inc., alleging that UST Inc. and/or nine of its directors had violated their fiduciary duties by agreeing to the terms of the acquisition and that Altria Group, Inc. had aided and abetted in the alleged violation. On October 30, 2008, plaintiffs amended the complaint to add allegations concerning UST’s definitive proxy statement and certain benefits payable to UST’s officers in connection with the transaction. The amended complaint also added aiding and abetting claims against UST.

Environmental Regulation

Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (and 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. Subsidiaries (and former subsidiaries) of Altria Group, Inc. are involved in several matters subjecting them to potential costs related to remediations under Superfund or other laws and regulations. Altria Group, Inc.’s subsidiaries expect to continue to make capital and other expenditures in connection with environmental laws and regulations. Although it is not possible to predict precise levels of environmental-related expenditures, compliance with such laws and regulations, including the payment of any remediation costs and the making of such expenditures, has not had, and is not expected to have, a material adverse effect on Altria Group, Inc.’s consolidated results of operations, capital expenditures, financial position, earnings or competitive position.

Third-Party Guarantees

At September 30, 2008, Altria Group, Inc.’s third-party guarantees, which are related to divestiture activities, were $22 million. These guarantees have no specified expiration dates. Altria Group, Inc. is required to perform under these guarantees in the event that a third party fails to make contractual payments. Altria Group, Inc. has a liability of $22 million on its condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2008, relating to these guarantees. In the ordinary course of business, certain subsidiaries of Altria Group, Inc. have agreed to indemnify a limited number of third parties in the event of litigation.

Under the terms of the Distribution Agreement between Altria Group, Inc. and PMI, liabilities concerning tobacco products will be allocated based in substantial part on the manufacturer. PMI will indemnify

 

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Altria Group, Inc. 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. Altria Group, Inc. does not have a related liability recorded on its condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2008 as the fair value of this indemnification is insignificant.

Note 13.    New Accounting Standards:

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141 (Revised 2007) “Business Combinations” (“SFAS 141(R)”). SFAS 141(R) is effective for business combinations that close on or after January 1, 2009, the first day of Altria Group, Inc.’s annual reporting period beginning after December 15, 2008. SFAS 141(R) requires the recognition of assets acquired, liabilities assumed and any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree to be measured at fair value as of the acquisition date. Additionally, costs incurred to effect the acquisition are to be recognized as expenses in the periods in which the costs are incurred. As discussed in Note 2. UST Acquisition, Altria Group, Inc. expects the transaction to close during the first full week of January 2009 and no later than January 7, 2009. Accordingly, the acquisition will be accounted for under SFAS No. 141 (R). Under SFAS 141 (R), Altria Group, Inc. will expense as incurred various acquisition costs including, but not limited to, transaction costs and costs related to restructuring UST.

Additionally, in December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160 “Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements” (“SFAS 160”). SFAS 160 changes the reporting for minority interests by reporting these as noncontrolling interests within equity. Moreover, SFAS 160 requires that any transactions between an entity and a noncontrolling interest are to be accounted for as equity transactions. SFAS 160 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008. SFAS 160 is to be applied prospectively, except for the presentation and disclosure requirements, which shall be applied retrospectively for all periods presented.

In June 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position No. EITF 03-6-1 “Determining Whether Instruments Granted in Share-Based Payment Transactions Are Participating Securities” (“FSP EITF 03-6-1”). FSP EITF 03-6-1 states that unvested share-based payment awards that contain nonforfeitable rights to dividends are participating securities and therefore shall be included in the earnings per share calculation pursuant to the two class method described in SFAS No. 128, “Earnings Per Share.” FSP EITF 03-6-1 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008, and requires all prior-period earnings per share data to be adjusted retrospectively.

Altria Group, Inc. is currently in the process of evaluating the impact of these pronouncements.

 

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Note 14.    Condensed Consolidating Financial Information:

PM USA has issued guarantees relating to Altria Group, Inc.’s outstanding debt securities and borrowings under Altria Group, Inc.’s existing revolving credit facilities and commercial paper programs (the “Guarantees”). Collectively, these Guarantees pertain to substantially all of Altria Group, Inc.’s current debt instruments and will pertain to borrowings under the $7 billion senior 364-day term bridge loan facility contemplated by the commitment letter entered into by Altria Group, Inc. and two banks on September 7, 2008, which commitment letter is more particularly discussed at Note 2. UST Acquisition. Pursuant to the Guarantees, PM USA fully and unconditionally guarantees, as primary obligor, the payment and performance of Altria Group, Inc.’s obligations under the guaranteed debt instruments (the “Obligations”), as described below.

The guarantees provide that PM USA will fully and unconditionally guarantee the punctual payment when due, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, of the Obligations. The liability of PM USA under the Guarantees shall be 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, Altria Group, Inc. or PM USA.

The obligations of PM USA under the Guarantees will be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of PM USA 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, result in PM USA’s obligations under the Guarantees not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance. For purposes hereof, “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

PM USA will be unconditionally released and discharged from its obligations under each of the Guarantees upon the earliest to occur of:

 

   

the date, if any, on which PM USA consolidates with or merges into Altria Group, Inc. or any successor;

 

   

the date, if any, on which Altria Group, Inc. or any successor consolidates with or merges into PM USA;

 

   

the payment in full of the Obligations pertaining to such Guarantee; or

 

   

the rating of Altria Group, Inc.’s long-term senior unsecured debt by Standard & Poor’s of A or higher.

The respective principal wholly-owned subsidiaries of Altria Group, Inc. and PM USA currently are not limited by long-term debt or other agreements in their ability to pay cash dividends or make other distributions with respect to their common stock.

The following sets forth the condensed consolidating balance sheets as of September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, condensed consolidating statements of earnings for the nine months and three months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, and condensed consolidating statements of cash flows for the nine

 

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months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007 for Altria Group, Inc., PM USA and Altria Group, Inc.’s other subsidiaries that are not guarantors of Altria Group, Inc.’s debt instruments (the “Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries”) (in millions of dollars). The financial information is based on Altria Group, Inc.’s understanding of the SEC interpretation and application of Rule 3-10 of the SEC Regulation S-X.

The financial information may not necessarily be indicative of results of operations or financial position had PM USA and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries operated as independent entities. Altria Group, Inc. accounts for investments in these subsidiaries under the equity method of accounting.

 

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Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets

September 30, 2008

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
   PM USA    Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
   Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
    Consolidated

ASSETS

             

Consumer products

             

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 913    $ -    $ 2    $ -     $ 915

Receivables

     1      24      27        52

Inventories:

             

Leaf tobacco

        627      16        643

Other raw materials

        156      4        160

Finished product

        252      5        257
                                   
        1,035      25        1,060

Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

     1,169      3,033      254      (4,456 )  

Other current assets

     61      1,736      21        1,818
                                   

Total current assets

     2,144      5,828      329      (4,456 )     3,845

Property, plant and equipment, at cost

     2      4,748      566        5,316

Less accumulated depreciation

     1      2,845      308        3,154
                                   
     1      1,903      258        2,162

Goodwill

           81        81

Other intangible assets, net

        283      2,758        3,041

Prepaid pension assets

        598      362        960

Investment in SABMiller

     4,146              4,146

Investment in consolidated subsidiaries

     1,996            (1,996 )  

Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

     2,000            (2,000 )  

Other assets

     634      190      52        876
                                   

Total consumer products assets

     10,921      8,802      3,840      (8,452 )     15,111

Financial services

             

Finance assets, net

           5,527        5,527

Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

           898      (898 )  

Other assets

           32        32
                                   

Total financial services assets

           6,457      (898 )     5,559
                                   

TOTAL ASSETS

   $ 10,921    $ 8,802    $ 10,297    $ (9,350 )   $ 20,670
                                   

 

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Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Continued)

September 30, 2008

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
    PM USA     Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

LIABILITIES

          

Consumer products

          

Current portion of long-term debt

   $ 149     $ 135     $ -     $ -     $ 284  

Accounts payable

     97       200       24         321  

Accrued liabilities:

          

Marketing

       321           321  

Taxes, except income taxes

       42       1         43  

Employment costs

     23       48       133         204  

Settlement charges

       3,696           3,696  

Other

     61       549       306         916  

Income taxes

     (482 )     525       (20 )       23  

Dividends payable

     665             665  

Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

     3,929       97       1,328       (5,354 )  
                                        

Total current liabilities

     4,442       5,613       1,772       (5,354 )     6,473  

Long-term debt

     101             101  

Deferred income taxes

     1,368       (176 )     (12 )       1,180  

Accrued pension costs

     165         7         172  

Accrued postretirement health care costs

       1,774       120         1,894  

Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

         2,000       (2,000 )  

Other liabilities

     667       441       128         1,236  
                                        

Total consumer products liabilities

     6,743       7,652       4,015       (7,354 )     11,056  

Financial services

          

Long-term debt

         500         500  

Deferred income taxes

         4,635         4,635  

Other liabilities

         301         301  
                                        

Total financial services liabilities

         5,436         5,436  
                                        

Total liabilities

     6,743       7,652       9,451       (7,354 )     16,492  
                                        

Contingencies

          

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

          

Common stock

     935         9       (9 )     935  

Additional paid-in capital

     6,369       412       1,032       (1,444 )     6,369  

Earnings reinvested in the business

     22,113       1,346       (91 )     (1,255 )     22,113  

Accumulated other comprehensive losses

     (795 )     (608 )     (104 )     712       (795 )
                                        
     28,622       1,150       846       (1,996 )     28,622  

Less cost of repurchased stock

     (24,444 )           (24,444 )
                                        

Total stockholders’ equity

     4,178       1,150       846       (1,996 )     4,178  
                                        

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

   $ 10,921     $ 8,802     $ 10,297     $ (9,350 )   $ 20,670  
                                        

 

-52-


Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets

December 31, 2007

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
   PM USA    Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
   Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
    Consolidated

ASSETS

             

Consumer products

             

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 4,835    $ 1    $ 6    $ -     $ 4,842

Receivables

     21      22      40        83

Inventories:

             

Leaf tobacco

        853      8        861

Other raw materials

        157      3        160

Finished product

        223      10        233
                                   
        1,233      21        1,254

Current assets of discontinued operations

           14,767        14,767

Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

     1,321      3,458      1,681      (6,460 )  

Other current assets

     207      1,701      36        1,944
                                   

Total current assets

     6,384      6,415      16,551      (6,460 )     22,890

Property, plant and equipment, at cost

     194      5,135      297        5,626

Less accumulated depreciation

     94      2,999      111        3,204
                                   
     100      2,136      186        2,422

Goodwill

           76        76

Other intangible assets, net

        283      2,766        3,049

Prepaid pension assets

        558      354        912

Investment in SABMiller

     3,960              3,960

Long-term assets of discontinued operations

           16,969        16,969

Investment in consolidated subsidiaries

     23,667            (23,667 )  

Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

     2,000      6,000         (8,000 )  

Other assets

     498      311      61        870
                                   

Total consumer products assets

     36,609      15,703      36,963      (38,127 )     51,148

Financial services

             

Finance assets, net

           6,029        6,029

Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

           513      (513 )  

Other assets

           34        34
                                   

Total financial services assets

           6,576      (513 )     6,063
                                   

TOTAL ASSETS

   $ 36,609    $ 15,703    $ 43,539    $ (38,640 )   $ 57,211
                                   

 

-53-


Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Continued)

December 31, 2007

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
    PM USA     Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

LIABILITIES

          

Consumer products

          

Current portion of long-term debt

   $ 850     $ 1     $ 1,503     $ -     $ 2,354  

Accounts payable

     10       649       209         868  

Accrued liabilities:

          

Marketing

       326       1         327  

Taxes, except income taxes

       67       3         70  

Employment costs

     35       98       150         283  

Settlement charges

       3,986           3,986  

Other

     100       582       167         849  

Income taxes

     107       80       (3 )       184  

Dividends payable

     1,588             1,588  

Current liabilities of discontinued operations

         8,273         8,273  

Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

     5,545       86       1,342       (6,973 )  
                                        

Total current liabilities

     8,235       5,875       11,645       (6,973 )     18,782  

Long-term debt

     1,750       135           1,885  

Deferred income taxes

     1,207       (166 )     (73 )       968  

Accrued pension costs

     191         7         198  

Accrued postretirement health care costs

       1,743       173         1,916  

Long-term liabilities of discontinued operations

         8,065         8,065  

Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

     6,000         2,000       (8,000 )  

Other liabilities

     672       530       38         1,240  
                                        

Total consumer products liabilities

     18,055       8,117       21,855       (14,973 )     33,054  

Financial services

          

Long-term debt

         500         500  

Deferred income taxes

         4,911         4,911  

Other liabilities

         192         192  
                                        

Total financial services liabilities

         5,603         5,603  
                                        

Total liabilities

     18,055       8,117       27,458       (14,973 )     38,657  
                                        

Contingencies

          

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

          

Common stock

     935         9       (9 )     935  

Additional paid-in capital

     6,884       586       2,123       (2,709 )     6,884  

Earnings reinvested in the business

     34,426       7,647       12,458       (20,105 )     34,426  

Accumulated other comprehensive (losses) earnings

     (237 )     (647 )     1,491       (844 )     (237 )
                                        
     42,008       7,586       16,081       (23,667 )     42,008  

Less cost of repurchased stock

     (23,454 )           (23,454 )
                                        

Total stockholders’ equity

     18,554       7,586       16,081       (23,667 )     18,554  
                                        

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

   $ 36,609     $ 15,703     $ 43,539     $ (38,640 )   $ 57,211  
                                        

 

-54-


Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statements of Earnings

For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2008

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
    PM USA     Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Net revenues

   $ -     $ 14,233     $ 469     $ -     $ 14,702  

Cost of sales

       6,209       76         6,285  

Excise taxes on products

       2,533       45         2,578  
                                        

Gross profit

       5,491       348         5,839  

Marketing, administration and research costs

     133       1,766       161         2,060  

Asset impairment and exit costs

     74       44       176         294  

(Gain) loss on sale of corporate headquarters building

     (407 )       3         (404 )

Amortization of intangibles

         5         5  
                                        

Operating income

     200       3,681       3         3,884  

Interest and other debt expense (income), net

     147       (249 )     129         27  

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

     386         7         393  

Equity earnings in SABMiller

     (344 )           (344 )
                                        

Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings of subsidiaries

     11       3,930       (133 )       3,808  

(Benefit) provision for income taxes

     (38 )     1,466       (31 )       1,397  

Equity earnings of subsidiaries

     4,202           (4,202 )  
                                        

Earnings (loss) from continuing operations

     4,251       2,464       (102 )     (4,202 )     2,411  

Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income taxes and minority interest

         1,840         1,840  
                                        

Net earnings

   $ 4,251     $ 2,464     $ 1,738     $ (4,202 )   $ 4,251  
                                        

 

-55-


Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statements of Earnings

For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
    PM USA     Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Net revenues

   $ -     $ 13,998     $ 138     $ -     $ 14,136  

Cost of sales

       5,900       5         5,905  

Excise taxes on products

       2,626           2,626  
                                        

Gross profit

       5,472       133         5,605  

Marketing, administration and research costs

     234       1,764       61         2,059  

Asset impairment and exit costs

     49       328       15         392  

Recoveries from airline industry exposure

         (214 )       (214 )
                                        

Operating (loss) income

     (283 )     3,380       271         3,368  

Interest and other debt expense (income), net

     663       (466 )     (7 )       190  

Equity earnings in SABMiller

     (392 )           (392 )
                                        

(Loss) earnings from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings of subsidiaries

     (554 )     3,846       278         3,570  

(Benefit) provision for income taxes

     (268 )     1,427       100         1,259  

Equity earnings of subsidiaries

     7,884           (7,884 )  
                                        

Earnings from continuing operations

     7,598       2,419       178       (7,884 )     2,311  

Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income taxes and minority interest

         5,287         5,287  
                                        

Net earnings

   $ 7,598     $ 2,419     $ 5,465     $ (7,884 )   $ 7,598  
                                        

 

-56-


Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statements of Earnings

For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2008

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
    PM USA     Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Net revenues

   $ -     $ 5,084     $ 154     $ -     $ 5,238  

Cost of sales

       2,205       25         2,230  

Excise taxes on products

       883       14         897  
                                        

Gross profit

       1,996       115         2,111  

Marketing, administration and research costs

     44       639       80         763  

Asset impairment and exit costs

       15       2         17  

Amortization of intangibles

         2         2  
                                        

Operating (loss) income

     (44 )     1,342       31         1,329  

Interest and other debt expense (income), net

     11       (12 )     26         25  

Equity earnings in SABMiller

     (54 )           (54 )
                                        

(Loss) earnings before income taxes and equity earnings of subsidiaries

     (1 )     1,354       5         1,358  

(Benefit) provision for income taxes

     (16 )     499       8         491  

Equity earnings of subsidiaries

     852           (852 )  
                                        

Net earnings

   $ 867     $ 855     $ (3 )   $ (852 )   $ 867  
                                        

 

-57-


Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statements of Earnings

For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2007

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
    PM USA     Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Net revenues

   $ -     $ 4,944     $ 43     $ -     $ 4,987  

Cost of sales

       2,095       1         2,096  

Excise taxes on products

       927           927  
                                        

Gross profit

       1,922       42         1,964  

Marketing, administration and research costs

     71       633       32         736  

Asset impairment and exit costs

     3       10           13  

Recoveries from airline industry exposure

         (7 )       (7 )
                                        

Operating (loss) income

     (74 )     1,279       17         1,222  

Interest and other debt expense (income), net

     192       (164 )     (1 )       27  

Equity earnings in SABMiller

     (132 )           (132 )
                                        

(Loss) earnings from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings of subsidiaries

     (134 )     1,443       18         1,327  

(Benefit) provision for income taxes

     (109 )     537       (1 )       427  

Equity earnings of subsidiaries

     2,658           (2,658 )  
                                        

Earnings from continuing operations

     2,633       906       19       (2,658 )     900  

Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income taxes and minority interest

         1,733         1,733  
                                        

Net earnings

   $ 2,633     $ 906     $ 1,752     $ (2,658 )   $ 2,633  
                                        

 

-58-


Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows

For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2008

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
    PM USA     Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
   Consolidated  

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES

           

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities, continuing operations

   $ (541 )   $ 2,731     $ 52     $ -    $ 2,242  

Net cash provided by operating activities, discontinued operations

         1,666          1,666  
                                       

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

     (541 )     2,731       1,718       -      3,908  
                                       

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES

           

Consumer products

           

Capital expenditures

       (122 )     (9 )        (131 )

Proceeds from sale of corporate headquarters building

     525              525  

Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

     (7,558 )     6,000       1,558       

Other

       2       108          110  

Financial services

           

Proceeds from finance assets

         389          389  
                                       

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities, continuing operations

     (7,033 )     5,880       2,046          893  

Net cash used in investing activities, discontinued operations

         (317 )        (317 )
                                       

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities

     (7,033 )     5,880       1,729          576  
                                       

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES

           

Long-term debt repaid

     (2,350 )       (1,558 )        (3,908 )

Repurchase of Altria Group, Inc. common stock

     (1,166 )            (1,166 )

Dividends paid on Altria Group, Inc. common stock

     (3,767 )            (3,767 )

Issuance of Altria Group, Inc. common stock

     79              79  

Philip Morris International Inc. dividends paid to Altria Group, Inc.

     3,019              3,019  

Tender and consent fees related to the early extinguishment of debt

     (368 )       (3 )        (371 )

Changes in amounts due to/from Philip Morris International Inc.

     (721 )            (721 )

Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries

     82       291       (373 )     

Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries

     8,812       (8,765 )     (47 )     

Other

     32       (138 )     (121 )        (227 )
                                       

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, continuing operations

     3,652       (8,612 )     (2,102 )        (7,062 )

Net cash used in financing activities, discontinued operations

         (1,648 )        (1,648 )
                                       

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     3,652       (8,612 )     (3,750 )        (8,710 )
                                       

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents:

           

Discontinued operations

         (126 )        (126 )
                                       

Cash and cash equivalents, continuing operations:

           

Decrease

     (3,922 )     (1 )     (4 )     -      (3,927 )

Balance at beginning of period

     4,835       1       6          4,842  
                                       

Balance at end of period

   $ 913     $ -     $ 2     $ -    $ 915  
                                       

 

-59-


Table of Contents

Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows

For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007

 

     Altria
Group, Inc.
    PM USA     Non-
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Total
Consolidating
Adjustments
   Consolidated  

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES

           

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities, continuing operations

   $ (1,773 )   $ 4,353     $ 228     $ -    $ 2,808  

Net cash provided by operating activities, discontinued operations

         5,477          5,477  
                                       

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

     (1,773 )     4,353       5,705       -      8,285  
                                       

CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES

           

Consumer products

           

Capital expenditures

       (184 )     (26 )        (210 )

Other

     62       6       40          108  

Financial services

           

Investments in finance assets

         (4 )        (4 )

Proceeds from finance assets

         363          363