Revenues from Contracts with Customers	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenues from Contracts with Customers	Revenues from Contracts with Customers: On January 1, 2018, Altria adopted ASU No. 2014-09, which establishes principles for reporting information about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from an entity’s contracts with customers. Altria elected to apply the guidance using the modified retrospective transition method. The adoption of this guidance had no impact on the amount and timing of revenue recognized by Altria’s businesses; therefore, no adjustments were recorded to Altria’s condensed consolidated financial statements. Altria’s businesses generate substantially all of their revenue from sales contracts with customers. While Altria’s businesses enter into separate sales contracts with each customer for each product type, all sales contracts are similarly structured. These contracts create an obligation to transfer product to the customer. Contract durations do not exceed one year; therefore, there is no significant financing component, costs to obtain contracts are expensed as incurred and unsatisfied performance obligations are not disclosed. Altria’s businesses define net revenues as revenues, which include excise taxes and shipping and handling charges billed to customers, net of cash discounts for prompt payment, sales returns (also referred to as returned goods) and sales incentives. Altria’s businesses exclude from the transaction price, sales taxes and value-added taxes imposed at the time of sale (which do not include excise taxes on cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco or wine). Altria’s businesses recognize revenues from sales contracts with customers upon shipment of goods when control of such products is obtained by the customer. Altria’s businesses determine that a customer obtains control of the product upon shipment when title of such product and risk of loss transfers to the customer. Altria’s businesses account for shipping and handling costs as fulfillment costs and such amounts are classified as part of cost of sales in Altria’s condensed consolidated statements of earnings. Altria’s businesses record an allowance for returned goods, based principally on historical volume and return rates, which is included in other accrued liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. Altria’s businesses record sales incentives, which consist of consumer incentives and trade promotion activities, as a reduction to revenues (a portion of which is based on amounts estimated as being due to wholesalers, retailers and consumers at the end of a period) based principally on historical volume, utilization and redemption rates. Expected payments for sales incentives are included in accrued marketing liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. Payment terms vary depending on product type. Altria’s businesses consider payments received in advance of product shipment as deferred revenue, which is included in other accrued liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets until revenue is recognized. PM USA receives payment in advance of a customer obtaining control of the product. USSTC receives substantially all payments within one business day of the customer obtaining control of the product. Ste. Michelle receives substantially all payments from customers within 45 days of the customer obtaining control of the product. Amounts due from customers are included in receivables on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. Altria’s businesses promote their products with consumer incentives, trade promotions and consumer engagement programs. These consumer incentive and trade promotion activities, which include discounts, coupons, rebates, in-store display incentives and volume-based incentives, do not create a distinct deliverable and are, therefore, recorded as a reduction of revenues. Consumer engagement program payments are made to third parties. Altria’s businesses expense these consumer engagement programs, which include event marketing, as incurred and such expenses are included in marketing, administration and research costs on Altria’s condensed consolidated statements of earnings. For interim reporting purposes, Altria’s businesses charge consumer engagement programs and certain consumer incentive expenses to operations as a percentage of sales, based on estimated sales and related expenses for the full year. Altria disaggregates net revenues based on product type. For further discussion, see Note 7. Segment Reporting. Altria’s businesses offer cash discounts to customers for prompt payment and calculate cash discounts as a percentage of the list price based on historical experience and agreed-upon payment terms. Altria’s businesses record an allowance for cash discounts, which is included as a contra-asset against receivables on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. There was no allowance for cash discounts at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, and there were no differences between amounts recorded as an allowance for cash discounts and cash discounts subsequently given to customers. Altria’s businesses that receive payments in advance of product shipment record such payments as deferred revenue. These payments are included in other accrued liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets until control of such products is obtained by the customer. Deferred revenue was $116 million and $267 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. When cash is received in advance of product shipment, Altria’s businesses satisfy their performance obligations within three days of receiving payment. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, there were no differences between amounts recorded as deferred revenue and amounts subsequently recognized as revenue. Receivables, which primarily reflect sales of wine produced and/or distributed by Ste. Michelle, were $187 million and $142 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, there were no expected differences between amounts recorded and subsequently received, and Altria’s businesses did not record an allowance for doubtful accounts against these receivables. Altria’s businesses record an allowance for returned goods, which is included in other accrued liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. While all of Altria’s tobacco operating companies sell tobacco products with dates relative to freshness as printed on product packaging, due to the limited shelf life of USSTC’s smokeless tobacco products, it is USSTC’s policy to accept authorized sales returns from its customers for products that have passed such dates. Altria’s businesses record estimated sales returns, which are based principally on historical volume and return rates, as a reduction to revenues. Actual sales returns will differ from estimated sales returns to the extent actual results differ from estimated assumptions. Altria’s businesses reflect differences between actual and estimated sales returns in the period in which the actual amounts become known. These differences, if any, have not had a significant impact on Altria’s condensed consolidated financial statements. All returned goods are destroyed upon return and not included in inventory. Consequently, Altria’s businesses do not record an asset for their right to recover goods from customers upon return. Sales incentives include variable payments related to goods sold by Altria’s businesses. Altria’s businesses include estimates of variable consideration as a reduction to revenues upon shipment of goods to customers. The sales incentives that require significant estimates and judgments are as follows: Price promotion payments- Altria’s businesses make price promotion payments, substantially all of which are made to their retail partners to incent the promotion of certain product offerings in select geographic areas. Wholesale and retail participation payments- Altria’s businesses make payments to their wholesale and retail partners to incent merchandising and sharing of sales data in accordance with each business’s trade agreements. These estimates primarily include estimated wholesale to retail sales volume and historical acceptance rates. Actual payments will differ from estimated payments to the extent actual results differ from estimated assumptions. Differences between actual and estimated payments are reflected in the period such information becomes available. These differences, if any, have not had a significant impact on Altria’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

Revenues from Contracts with Customers:

On January 1, 2018, Altria adopted ASU No. 2014-09, which establishes principles for reporting information about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from an entity’s contracts with customers. Altria elected to apply the guidance using the modified retrospective transition method. The adoption of this guidance had no impact on the amount and timing of revenue recognized by Altria’s businesses; therefore, no adjustments were recorded to Altria’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

Altria’s businesses generate substantially all of their revenue from sales contracts with customers. While Altria’s businesses enter into separate sales contracts with each customer for each product type, all sales contracts are similarly structured. These contracts create an obligation to transfer product to the customer. Contract durations do not exceed one year; therefore, there is no significant financing component, costs to obtain contracts are expensed as incurred and unsatisfied performance obligations are not disclosed.

Altria’s businesses define net revenues as revenues, which include excise taxes and shipping and handling charges billed to customers, net of cash discounts for prompt payment, sales returns (also referred to as returned goods) and sales incentives. Altria’s businesses exclude from the transaction price, sales taxes and value-added taxes imposed at the time of sale (which do not include excise taxes on cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco or wine).

Altria’s businesses recognize revenues from sales contracts with customers upon shipment of goods when control of such products is obtained by the customer. Altria’s businesses determine that a customer obtains control of the product upon shipment when title of such product and risk of loss transfers to the customer. Altria’s businesses account for shipping and handling costs as fulfillment costs and such amounts are classified as part of cost of sales in Altria’s condensed consolidated statements of earnings. Altria’s businesses record an allowance for returned goods, based principally on historical volume and return rates, which is included in other accrued liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. Altria’s businesses record sales incentives, which consist of consumer incentives and trade promotion activities, as a reduction to revenues (a portion of which is based on amounts estimated as being due to wholesalers, retailers and consumers at the end of a period) based principally on historical volume, utilization and redemption rates. Expected payments for sales incentives are included in accrued marketing liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Payment terms vary depending on product type. Altria’s businesses consider payments received in advance of product shipment as deferred revenue, which is included in other accrued liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets until revenue is recognized. PM USA receives payment in advance of a customer obtaining control of the product. USSTC receives substantially all payments within one business day of the customer obtaining control of the product. Ste. Michelle receives substantially all payments from customers within 45 days of the customer obtaining control of the product. Amounts due from customers are included in receivables on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Altria’s businesses promote their products with consumer incentives, trade promotions and consumer engagement programs. These consumer incentive and trade promotion activities, which include discounts, coupons, rebates, in-store display incentives and volume-based incentives, do not create a distinct deliverable and are, therefore, recorded as a reduction of revenues. Consumer engagement program payments are made to third parties. Altria’s businesses expense these consumer engagement programs, which include event marketing, as incurred and such expenses are included in marketing, administration and research costs on Altria’s condensed consolidated statements of earnings. For interim reporting purposes, Altria’s businesses charge consumer engagement programs and certain consumer incentive expenses to operations as a percentage of sales, based on estimated sales and related expenses for the full year.

Altria disaggregates net revenues based on product type. For further discussion, see Note 7. Segment Reporting.

Altria’s businesses offer cash discounts to customers for prompt payment and calculate cash discounts as a percentage of the list price based on historical experience and agreed-upon payment terms. Altria’s businesses record an allowance for cash discounts, which is included as a contra-asset against receivables on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. There was no allowance for cash discounts at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, and there were no differences between amounts recorded as an allowance for cash discounts and cash discounts subsequently given to customers.

Altria’s businesses that receive payments in advance of product shipment record such payments as deferred revenue. These payments are included in other accrued liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets until control of such products is obtained by the customer. Deferred revenue was $116 million and $267 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. When cash is received in advance of product shipment, Altria’s businesses satisfy their performance obligations within three days of receiving payment. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, there were no differences between amounts recorded as deferred revenue and amounts subsequently recognized as revenue.

Receivables, which primarily reflect sales of wine produced and/or distributed by Ste. Michelle, were $187 million and $142 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, there were no expected differences between amounts recorded and subsequently received, and Altria’s businesses did not record an allowance for doubtful accounts against these receivables.

Altria’s businesses record an allowance for returned goods, which is included in other accrued liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. While all of Altria’s tobacco operating companies sell tobacco products with dates relative to freshness as printed on product packaging, due to the limited shelf life of USSTC’s smokeless tobacco products, it is USSTC’s policy to accept authorized sales returns from its customers for products that have passed such dates. Altria’s businesses record estimated sales returns, which are based principally on historical volume and return rates, as a reduction to revenues. Actual sales returns will differ from estimated sales returns to the extent actual results differ from estimated assumptions. Altria’s businesses reflect differences between actual and estimated sales returns in the period in which the actual amounts become known. These differences, if any, have not had a significant impact on Altria’s condensed consolidated financial statements. All returned goods are destroyed upon return and not included in inventory. Consequently, Altria’s businesses do not record an asset for their right to recover goods from customers upon return.

Sales incentives include variable payments related to goods sold by Altria’s businesses. Altria’s businesses include estimates of variable consideration as a reduction to revenues upon shipment of goods to customers. The sales incentives that require significant estimates and judgments are as follows:

Price promotion payments- Altria’s businesses make price promotion payments, substantially all of which are made to their retail partners to incent the promotion of certain product offerings in select geographic areas.

Wholesale and retail participation payments- Altria’s businesses make payments to their wholesale and retail partners to incent merchandising and sharing of sales data in accordance with each business’s trade agreements.

These estimates primarily include estimated wholesale to retail sales volume and historical acceptance rates. Actual payments will differ from estimated payments to the extent actual results differ from estimated assumptions. Differences between actual and estimated payments are reflected in the period such information becomes available. These differences, if any, have not had a significant impact on Altria’s condensed consolidated financial statements.