Background and Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Background and Basis of Presentation:

Background

At June 30, 2019, Altria Group, Inc.’s (“Altria”) wholly-owned subsidiaries included Philip Morris USA Inc. (“PM USA”), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States; John Middleton Co. (“Middleton”), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PM USA; Sherman Group Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries (“Nat Sherman”), which are engaged in the manufacture and sale of super premium cigarettes and the sale of premium cigars; UST LLC (“UST”), which through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, including U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (“USSTC”) and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd. (“Ste. Michelle”), is engaged in the manufacture and sale of smokeless tobacco products and wine; and Philip Morris Capital Corporation (“PMCC”), which maintains a portfolio of finance assets, substantially all of which are leveraged leases. In December 2018, Altria announced the decision to refocus its innovative product efforts, which included the discontinuation of production and distribution of all e-vapor products by Nu Mark LLC (“Nu Mark”). Prior to that time, Nu Mark was engaged in the manufacture and sale of innovative tobacco products. Other Altria wholly-owned subsidiaries included Altria Group Distribution Company, which provides sales and distribution services to certain Altria operating subsidiaries, and Altria Client Services LLC, which provides various support services in areas such as legal, regulatory, consumer engagement, finance, human resources and external affairs to Altria and its subsidiaries. Altria’s access to the operating cash flows of its wholly-owned subsidiaries consists of cash received from the payment of dividends and distributions, and the payment of interest on intercompany loans by its subsidiaries. At June 30, 2019, Altria’s principal wholly-owned subsidiaries were not limited by long-term debt or other agreements in their ability to pay cash dividends or make other distributions with respect to their equity interests.

At June 30, 2019, Altria had a 10.1% economic and voting interest in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (“ABI”), which Altria accounts for under the equity method of accounting using a one-quarter lag. Altria receives cash dividends on its interest in ABI and will continue to do so as long as ABI pays dividends.

In December 2018, Altria, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, purchased shares of non-voting convertible common stock of JUUL Labs, Inc. (“JUUL”), representing a 35% economic interest for $12.8 billion. JUUL is engaged in the manufacture and sale of e-vapor products globally and is the U.S. leader in e-vapor. If and when antitrust clearance is obtained, Altria’s non-voting shares will automatically convert to voting shares (“Share Conversion”). At June 30, 2019, Altria had a 35% economic interest in JUUL, which Altria accounts for as an investment in an equity security. Upon Share Conversion, Altria expects to account for its investment in JUUL under the equity method of accounting. Altria has agreed to non-competition obligations generally requiring that it participate in the e-vapor business only through JUUL as long as Altria is supplying JUUL services, which Altria is committed to doing until at least December 20, 2024.

In March 2019, Altria, through a subsidiary, completed its acquisition of a 45% economic and voting interest in Cronos Group Inc. (“Cronos”), a global cannabinoid company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. At June 30, 2019, Altria had a 45% economic and voting interest in Cronos, which Altria accounts for under the equity method of accounting using a one-quarter lag.

For further discussion of Altria’s investments in equity securities, see Note 4. Investments in Equity Securities.

Share Repurchases

In July 2015, Altria’s Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) authorized a $1.0 billion share repurchase program that it expanded to $3.0 billion in October 2016 and to $4.0 billion in July 2017 (as expanded, the “July 2015 share repurchase program”). In January 2018, Altria completed the July 2015 share repurchase program, under which it purchased a total of 58.7 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $68.15 per share.

Following the completion of the July 2015 share repurchase program, the Board of Directors authorized a new $1.0 billion share repurchase program in January 2018 that it expanded to $2.0 billion in May 2018 (as expanded, the “January 2018 share

repurchase program”). In June 2019, Altria completed the January 2018 share repurchase program, under which it purchased a total of 34.0 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $58.86 per share.

In July 2019, the Board of Directors authorized a new $1.0 billion share repurchase program. Share repurchases under this program depend upon marketplace conditions and other factors, and the program remains subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors.

Altria’s share repurchase activity was as follows:



	For the Six Months Ended June 30,				For the Three Months Ended June 30,
	2019		2018		2019		2018
	(in millions, except per share data)
Total number of shares repurchased	6.4		15.6		3.7		7.6
Aggregate cost of shares repurchased	$	346	$	950	$	195	$	437
Average price per share of shares repurchased	$	54.36	$	61.07	$	52.93	$	57.65

Basis of Presentation

The interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Altria are unaudited. It is the opinion of Altria’s management that all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the interim results presented have been reflected in the interim condensed consolidated financial statements. All such adjustments were of a normal recurring nature. Net revenues and net earnings for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year.

These statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes, which appear in Altria’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

On January 1, 2019, Altria adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) and all related ASU amendments (collectively “ASU No. 2016-02”), which requires entities to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. Altria has elected to apply the guidance retrospectively at the beginning of the period of adoption. As a result, comparative periods prior to adoption will continue to be presented in accordance with prior lease guidance, including disclosures. The impact of the adoption was not material to Altria’s consolidated financial statements. As a result of the adoption, Altria and its subsidiaries, as lessees, recorded right-of-use assets and lease liabilities of $179 million at January 1, 2019 for its leases, which were all operating leases. There was no cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of earnings reinvested in the business. Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on Altria’s condensed consolidated balance sheet at June 30, 2019 were not materially different than the amounts recorded upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-02.

Additionally, in accordance with ASU No. 2016-02, lessor accounting for leveraged leases that commenced before the January 1, 2019 adoption date of ASU No. 2016-02 is unchanged unless there is a change in the scope of, or the consideration for, such leases. As a result, adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 as it relates to PMCC’s leveraged leases had no impact on Altria’s financial statements at the adoption date. During the first six months of 2019, PMCC had no new leases nor any changes in the scope of or the consideration for its existing leveraged leases.

For a description of issued accounting guidance applicable to, but not yet adopted by, Altria, see Note 14. New Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted.