XML 67 R60.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.2.0.727

Contingencies Contingencies (MSA Term Sheet Agreement) (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 30 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2013 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) state | Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) state
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of States Joining Term Sheet | state |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24 |  |
Number of States Not Joining Settlement | state |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15 |  |
States Not Diligently Enforcing Escrow Statutes | state |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6 |  |
States Diligently Enforcing Escrow Statute | state |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9 |  |
NPM Adjustment Items |  | $ 26 |  |  |  |  |  | $ 90 |
Earnings before income taxes | $ 2,254 | 1,945 |  |  |  |  | $ 3,816 | 3,751 |
Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Projected Litigation Settlement Interest |  |  |  |  |  |  | (89) |  |
Litigation Settlement Interest |  | (17) | $ 64 |  |  |  |  | 47 |
Projected Litigation Settlement Interest Not recorded |  |  |  |  |  |  | (25) |  |
NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] | 2003 NPM Adjustment Amount [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
NPM Adjustment Items |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 599
NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Projected Litigation Settlement, Amount |  |  |  | $ 145 |  |  |  |  |
Appeals Bond Posted By Affiliate |  |  |  |  |  |  | 22 |  |
NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
NPM Adjustment Items |  | 43 |  |  | $ 36 | $ 483 |  | 43 | 519
NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | 2013 Transition Year Adjustment [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
NPM Adjustment Items |  |  | $ 35 |  |  |  |  |  |
NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | 2014 Transition Year Adjustment [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
NPM Adjustment Items |  |  |  |  |  |  | 41 |  |
Indiana/Kentucky [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Projected Litigation Settlement, Amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 26
NPM Adjustment Items |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 54
Litigation Settlement Interest |  | (17) |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 17
Earnings before income taxes |  | 26 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Indiana/Kentucky [Member] | NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of States Joining Term Sheet | state |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2
NPM Adjustment Items |  | $ 43 |  |  |  |  | 37 |  | $ 80
Indiana/Kentucky [Member] | NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | 2013 Transition Year Adjustment [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
NPM Adjustment Items |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |
Missouri [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Settlement Amount Possible Refund to States |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12 |  |
Projected Litigation Settlement Interest Possible Refund to State |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 |  |
Remaining non-diligent states [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Projected Litigation Settlement, Amount |  |  |  |  |  |  | 108 |  |
NPM Adjustment Items |  |  |  |  |  |  | 79 |  |
Litigation settlement, amount Recovery available if Successful on Appeal |  |  |  |  |  |  | 29 |  |
Projected Litigation Settlement Interest |  |  |  |  |  |  | (66) |  |
Litigation Settlement Interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 47 |
Projected litigation settlement Interest Reduced Amount |  |  |  |  |  |  | (48) |  |
Litigation settlement interest Recovery Available if Successful On Appeal |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (18) |  |
Remaining non-diligent states [Member] | Smokeable Products [Member] | PM USA [Member] | 2003 NPM Adjustment Amount [Member] | Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
States Not Diligently Enforcing Escrow Statutes | state |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |

X
- Definition Appeals Bond Posted By Affiliate + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_AppealsBondPostedByAffiliate
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Litigation Settlement Amount Possible Refund due to states pending successful appeal + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_LitigationSettlementAmountPossibleRefundtoState
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Litigation settlement, amount Recovery available if Successful on Appeal + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_LitigationsettlementamountRecoveryavailableifSuccessfulonAppeal
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Litigation settlement interest Recovery Available if Successful On Appeal + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_LitigationsettlementinterestRecoveryAvailableifSuccessfulOnAppeal
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of States Joining Term Sheet Settlement agreement + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_NumberofStatesJoiningSettlement
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of States Not Joining Term Sheet + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_NumberofStatesNotJoiningTermSheet
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Projected Litigation Settlement, Amount + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_ProjectedLitigationSettlementAmount
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Projected Litigation Settlement Interest + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_ProjectedLitigationSettlementInterest
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Projected Litigation Settlement Interest Not recorded + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_ProjectedLitigationSettlementInterestNotrecorded
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Projected Litigation Settlement Interest Possible Refund to states if successful on appeal + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_ProjectedLitigationSettlementInterestPossibleRefundtoState
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Projected litigation settlement Interest Reduced Amount + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_ProjectedlitigationsettlementInterestReducedAmount
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition States Diligently Enforcing Escrow Statute + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_StatesDiligentlyEnforcingEscrowStatute
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition States Not Diligently Enforcing Escrow Statutes to the MSA for non-participating manufacturers + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_StatesNotDiligentlyEnforcingEscrowStatutes
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 940 -SubTopic 20 -Section 25 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35710027&loc=d3e41242-110953 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 10 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of judgment or settlement awarded to (against) the entity in respect of litigation. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Interest expense (income) directly attributable to an award in settlement of litigation. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LitigationSettlementInterest
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mo_SmokeableProductsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=mo_PhilipMorrisUSAMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=mo_NonParticipatingManufacturerArbitrationPanelDecisionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis=mo_NpmAdjustmentToCostOfSalesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=mo_A2003NPMAdjustmentAmountMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=mo_NonParticipatingManufacturerAdjustmentSettlementMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=mo_A2013TransitionYearAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=mo_A2014TransitionYearAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=mo_IndianaKentuckyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_MO
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=mo_RemainingnondiligentstatesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |