Earnings From Equity Investment In SABMiller

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Earnings (Losses) of Noncontrolling Interest and Equity Method Investments [Abstract]

Earnings From Equity Investment In SABMiller

Earnings from Equity Investment in SABMiller:

Pre-tax earnings from Altria Group, Inc.'s equity investment in SABMiller consisted of the following:



	For the Nine Months Ended September 30,				For the Three Months Ended September 30,
	2012		2011		2012		2011
	(in millions)
Equity earnings	$	942	$	534	$	216	$	201
Gains resulting from issuances of common stock by SABMiller	31		18		14		7
	$	973	$	552	$	230	$	208

Altria Group, Inc.'s equity earnings for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 included its share of non-cash gains resulting from SABMiller's strategic alliance transactions with Anadolu Efes and Castel.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for equity method investments and joint ventures. Equity method investments are investments that give the investor the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of an investee. Joint ventures are entities owned and operated by a small group of businesses as a separate and specific business or project for the mutual benefit of the members of the group.

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