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Background and Basis of Presentation | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2013
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Background and Basis of Presentation | Background and Basis of Presentation ▪Background: At December 31, 2013, Altria Group, Inc.’s direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries included Philip Morris USA Inc. (“PM USA”), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and certain smokeless tobacco products 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; and UST LLC (“UST”), which through its direct and indirect 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. Nu Mark LLC (“Nu Mark”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc., is engaged in the development and marketing of innovative tobacco products for adult tobacco consumers. Philip Morris Capital Corporation (“PMCC”), another wholly-owned subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc., maintains a portfolio of leveraged and direct finance leases. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. held approximately 26.8% of the economic and voting interest of SABMiller plc (“SABMiller”) at December 31, 2013, which Altria Group, Inc. accounts for under the equity method of accounting. Altria Group, Inc.’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 December 31, 2013, Altria Group, Inc.’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 common stock. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. receives cash dividends on its interest in SABMiller if and when SABMiller pays such dividends.
▪ | Dividends and Share Repurchases: During the third quarter of 2013, Altria Group, Inc.’s Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) approved a 9.1% increase in the quarterly dividend rate to $0.48 per common share versus the previous rate of $0.44 per common share. The current annualized dividend rate is $1.92 per Altria Group, Inc. common share. Future dividend payments remain subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors.
In January 2011, the Board of Directors authorized a $1.0 billion one-year share repurchase program (the “January 2011 share repurchase program”). Altria Group, Inc. completed the January 2011 share repurchase program during the third quarter of 2011. Under the January 2011 share repurchase program, Altria Group, Inc. repurchased a total of 37.6 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $26.62 per share. The Board of Directors authorized a $1.0 billion share repurchase program in October 2011 and expanded it to $1.5 billion in October 2012 (as expanded, the “October 2011 share repurchase program”). During the first quarter of 2013, Altria Group, Inc. completed the October 2011 share repurchase program. Under the October 2011 share repurchase program, Altria Group, Inc. repurchased a total of 48.3 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $31.06 per share. The Board of Directors authorized a $300 million share repurchase program in April 2013 and expanded it to $1.0 billion in August 2013 (as expanded, the “April 2013 share repurchase program”). Altria Group, Inc. expects to complete the April 2013 share repurchase program by the end of the third quarter of 2014. During 2013, Altria Group, Inc. repurchased 15.0 million shares of its common stock (at an aggregate cost of approximately $543 million, and at an average price of $36.27 per share) under the April 2013 share repurchase program. At December 31, 2013, Altria Group, Inc. had approximately $457 million remaining in the April 2013 share repurchase program. The timing of share repurchases under the April 2013 share repurchase program depends upon marketplace conditions and other factors. The April 2013 share repurchase program remains subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, Altria Group, Inc.’s total share repurchase activity was as follows:
|  | 2013 |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |
|  | (in millions, except per share data)
Total number of shares repurchased | 16.7 |  | 34.9 |  | 49.3 |
Aggregate cost of shares repurchased | $ | 600 |  | $ | 1,116 |  | $ | 1,327 |
Average price per share of shares repurchased | $ | 36.05 |  | $ | 32.00 |  | $ | 26.91 |
▪Basis of Presentation: The consolidated financial statements include Altria Group, Inc., as well as its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries. Investments in which Altria Group, Inc. exercises significant influence are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of net revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates and assumptions include, among other things, pension and benefit plan assumptions, lives and valuation assumptions for goodwill and other intangible assets, marketing programs, income taxes, and the allowance for losses and estimated residual values of finance leases. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Effective January 1, 2013, Altria Group, Inc.’s reportable segments are smokeable products, smokeless products and wine. The financial services and the alternative products businesses have been combined in an all other category due to the continued reduction of the lease portfolio of PMCC and the relative financial contribution of Altria Group, Inc.’s alternative products businesses to Altria Group, Inc.’s consolidated results. In addition, due to the continued reduction of the lease portfolio of PMCC, Altria Group, Inc.’s balance sheet accounts are no longer segregated by consumer products and financial services, and all balance sheet accounts are classified as either current or non-current. Certain prior years’ amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current year’s presentation due primarily to Altria Group, Inc.’s revised reportable segments. Effective January 2013, Altria Group, Inc. adopted new authoritative guidance that requires an entity to provide additional information by component concerning the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive earnings/losses. Altria Group, Inc. has included the additional disclosures in Note 13. Other Comprehensive Earnings/Losses.

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