8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

October 21, 2004

UNIVERSAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Virginia	1-652	54-0414210
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

1501 North Hamilton Street Richmond, Virginia	23230
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

(804) 359-9311

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

The press release issued by the Registrant on October 21, 2004 attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c) Exhibits.

No.	Description
99.1	Press release dated October 21, 2004.*

* Filed Herewith

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	UNIVERSAL CORPORATION
	(Registrant)
Date: October 21, 2004	By:	/s/ Hartwell H. Roper
		Hartwell H. Roper
		Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit Index

Exhibit Number	Document
99.1	Press release dated October 21, 2004.*

* Filed Herewith

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

P.O. Box 25099 • Richmond, VA 23260 • Phone: (804) 359-9311 • Fax: (804) 254-3594

PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT:	Karen M. L. Whelan		RELEASE:	Immediately
	Phone:	(804) 359-9311
	Fax:	(804) 254-3594
	Email:	investor@universalleaf.com

Universal Corporation Reports EU Announcement

Richmond, VA, October 21, 2004 / PRNEWSWIRE

Universal Corporation (the “Company”) announced today that the European Commission Competition Directorate has issued a press release stating that it has imposed fines on “five companies active in the raw Spanish tobacco processing market” totaling €20 million (about $25 million) for “colluding on the prices paid to, and the quantities bought from, the tobacco growers in Spain.” The Company’s Spanish subsidiary, Tabacos Espanoles S.A. received a fine of €108,000 (about $135,000). Despite the fact that it does not participate in the raw (green) Spanish tobacco market, as it neither purchases nor processes raw Spanish tobacco, the Company’s Italian subsidiary, Deltafina SpA. (“Deltafina”), was fined €11,880,000 (about $15 million). Deltafina does, however, purchase processed tobacco from Spanish tobacco processors. The fine assessed on Deltafina is considerably greater than the fines levied on the other named parties because, according to the Commission’s press release, Deltafina “is the biggest buyer in the Spanish tobacco processing sector and also acted as the cartel leader.” The Company believes that the statement above from the Commission contains several references that cannot be reconciled with the Commission’s Statement of Objections and the facts. Although the Commission has not rendered the full text of its final decision, the Company and Deltafina currently expect that Deltafina will appeal the decision to the European Court of First Instance. Pending further assessment of the full decision when it is issued, the Company expects to record a charge for the entire amount of the fines imposed on its subsidiaries in its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2004.

Universal Corporation (NYSE:UVV) is a diversified company with operations in tobacco, lumber, and agri-products. Universal Corporation’s gross revenues for the nine-month transitional year that ended on March 31, 2004, were approximately $2.3 billion. For more information on Universal Corporation, visit its web site at www.universalcorp.com.

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