Philip Morris USA sales and cigarette shipping volume declined in the second quarter, but product price increases coupled with lower administrative and marketing expenses raised profit, parent company Altria said.

Marlboro volume dipped 5.5 per cent to 26.9 billion sticks while total cigarette shipments fell 5 per cent to 31.5 billion units. Industry decline and inventory movements underpinned the decline, Altria said. “Marlboro’s retail share declined 0.1 point to 44.1 per cent in the second quarter. For the first half, Marlboro’s retail share was unchanged at 44.1 per cent, matching the record level set in the first half of 2015.“
Operating companies income in the smokeable products segment was 4.6 per cent higher at USD 2.1 billion (EUR 1.9 billion).
Copenhagen shipments rose 10.6 per cent in the smokeless sector, driving a 4.3 per cent overall increase to nearly 218 million units. Skoal volume fell 4 per cent as market share contracted 1.3 per cent. Copenhagen’s share rose 2.8 per cent to 34 per cent. The two moist snuff products account for 52.5 per cent of the US market segment.