Philip Morris USA cigarette shipments contracted 2.9 per cent and the industry by an estimated 4.5 per cent in a second quarter marked by implementation of a USD 2 per pack tax increases in California, parent company Altria said.

Marlboro market share dipped 0.3 percentage points to 43.5 per cent, a development Altria also said was affected by the California tax increase on 1 April. Cigar volume rose 13.6 per cent and moist-snuff shipments rebounded from a first-quarter product recall to increase 1.4 per cent. Smokeable products volume in three months to 30 June was just under 31 billion sticks.
Operating companies income in smokeable products rose 5.4 per cent on higher pricing and lower restructuring charges to USD 2.2 billion (EUR 1.9 billion) on post-excise tax sales that gained 3.2 per cent to USD 4.4 billion, Altria said.