Shipments of Philip Morris USA’s flagship Marlboro brand rose 3 per cent to 28.5 billion sticks in the second quarter as the cigarette increased its market share 30 basis points to 44.2 per cent, Altria said.

Total volume rose 3.1 per cent to 33.1 billion sticks. Adjusted for trade inventory movements, the increase was 1 per cent. Operating companies income for smokeable products, including the cigar segment, rose 13.1 per cent to USD 2 billion (EUR 1.8 billion) helped by higher prices, said parent company Altria. Earnings per share this year should be higher than in 2014, the company said. Sales gained 6.5 per cent to USD 5.98 billion.
Altria and Philip Morris International earlier in July said they would expand their cooperation agreement on innovative tobacco products to include joint research, development and technology sharing. Altria’s Nu Mark subsidiary began distribution of MarkTen XL and Green Smoke e-vapor products in “several lead markets”, in the three months to 30 June, the company said.