EX-99.2 3 a5257565ex992.htm EXHIBIT 99.2 Exhibit 99.2
Exhibit 99.2

 

Contact:
 
Nicholas M. Rolli
(917) 663-3460
 
Timothy R. Kellogg
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Altria Group, Inc. Release
NEW YORK, October 25, 2006 - The Board of Directors of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) announced today that it intends to finalize its decision, including the precise timing, on the distribution of all Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) shares owned by Altria to Altria’s shareholders at its regularly scheduled meeting on January 31, 2007.
Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and CEO of Altria, said: “Today’s announcement brings us a step closer to a fully independent Kraft. It recognizes our conviction that, having first publicly discussed the restructuring of the company two years ago, this is the right time to move forward.”

Altria Group, Inc. Profile
As of September 30, 2006, Altria Group, Inc. owned approximately 88.6% of the outstanding common shares of Kraft Foods Inc. and 100% of the outstanding common shares of Philip Morris International Inc., Philip Morris USA Inc. and Philip Morris Capital Corporation. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. owned approximately 28.7% of SABMiller plc. The brand portfolio of Altria Group, Inc.’s consumer packaged goods companies includes such well-known names as Kraft, Jacobs, L&M, Marlboro, Maxwell House, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Parliament, Philadelphia, Post and Virginia Slims. Altria Group, Inc. recorded 2005 net revenues of $97.9 billion.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
This press release contains projections of future results and other forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following important factors could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements.
Altria Group, Inc.’s consumer products subsidiaries are subject to changing prices for raw materials; intense price competition; changes in consumer preferences and demand for their products; fluctuations in levels of customer inventories; the effects of foreign economies and local economic and market conditions; unfavorable currency movements and changes to income tax laws. Their results are dependent upon their continued ability to promote brand equity successfully; to anticipate and respond to new consumer trends; to develop new products and markets and to broaden brand portfolios in order to compete effectively with lower-priced products; to improve productivity; and to respond effectively to changing prices for raw materials.
Altria Group, Inc.’s tobacco subsidiaries (Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris International) continue to be subject to litigation, including risks associated with adverse jury and judicial determinations, and courts reaching conclusions at variance with the company’s understanding of applicable law and bonding requirements in the limited number of jurisdictions that do not limit the dollar amount of appeal bonds; legislation, including actual and potential excise tax increases; discriminatory excise tax structures; increasing marketing and regulatory restrictions; the effects of price increases related to excise tax increases and concluded tobacco litigation settlements on consumption rates and consumer preferences within price segments; health concerns relating to the use of tobacco products and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; governmental regulation; privately imposed smoking restrictions; and governmental and grand jury investigations.
Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries are subject to other risks detailed from time to time in its publicly filed documents, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2006. Altria Group, Inc. cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not complete and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that it may make.

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