Altria Group’s mainstay Marlboro gained market share in the final quarter of 2012 as higher prices and lower restructuring costs boosted sales and profit, the company announced.
Marlboro market share rose rose percentage point to 42.6 per cent. Altria’s Philip Morris USA unit began national distribution in January of Marlboro Southern Cut, which is part of the Gold line. Adjusted full-year shipment volume for all brands was essentially unchanged as the US market continued to shrink, the company said.
Smokeable product net revenue after excise tax rose 3.6 per cent to USD 3.9 billion (EUR 2.2 billion) and operating companies (OCI) income gained nearly 26 per cent to USD 1.5 billion in the fourth quarter. Full year OCI rose 8.8 per cent to USD 6.2 billion. Altria said it is on course to realize USD 400 million in group savings by the end of this year.
Smokeless products domestic shipping volume rose 9.6 per cent in the fourth quarter as the Copenhagen and Skoal brands continued to grow. Sales for the year increased 3.9 per cent to USD 1.6 billion. (ci)