XML 145 R127.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Schedule of Pre-tax Charges or (Gains) Included in Net Earnings Attributable to Altria Group, Inc.) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Jun. 30, 2017 | Mar. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Jun. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Asset impairment, exit, implementation and acquisition-related costs | $ 12 | $ 17 | $ 30 | $ 30 | $ 73 | $ 6 | $ 5 | $ 122 |  |  |
Settlement Charge, Lump Sum Pension Payment | 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss on early extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  | 0 | 823 | 0 | 0 | $ 0 | $ 823 | $ 228
Gain on AB InBev/SABMiller business combination | 0 | (37) | (408) | 0 | (13,660) | (48) | (117) | (40) | $ (445) | $ (13,865) | $ (5)
AB InBev/SABMiller special items | 51 | 34 | 2 | 73 | (236) | (40) | 21 | 166 |  |  |
Pre-tax charges (gains) included in net earnings | 206 | 19 | (359) | 103 | (13,785) | 786 | (86) | 304 |  |  |
NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement amount | 0 | 5 | 0 | (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |  |  |
Tobacco and Health Litigation Items [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tobacco and health litigation items, including accrued interest | $ 62 | $ 0 | $ 17 | $ 1 | 17 | 45 | 5 | 38 |  |  |
Patent Litigation Settlement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Patent litigation settlement |  |  |  |  | $ (21) | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |  |  |

X
- Definition Asset Impairment, Exit, Implementation and Acquisition-Related Costs + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_AssetImpairmentExitImplementationandAcquisitionRelatedCosts
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Nonmonetary Transaction, Gain (Loss) on Transfer, Derivative Instruments, and Divestitures + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_NonmonetaryTransactionGainLossonTransferDerivativeInstrumentsandDivestitures
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Pre-Tax Charges (Gain) Included in Net Earning + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_PreTaxChargesGainIncludedinNetEarning
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Settlement Charge, Lump Sum Pension Payment + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_SettlementChargeLumpSumPensionPayment
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Special items related to equity method investment including pre-tax acquisition costs, costs associated with business capability programme, disposal of distribution business and pre-tax gains from hotel and gaming transaction. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mo_SpecialItemsRelatedToEquityMethodInvestment
Namespace Prefix: | mo_
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_CondensedFinancialStatementsCaptionsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of gain (loss) recognized in settlement of litigation and insurance claims. Excludes claims within an insurance entity's normal claims settlement process. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GainLossRelatedToLitigationSettlement
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 470 -SubTopic 50 -Section 40 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170532&loc=d3e12317-112629 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 470 -SubTopic 50 -Section 40 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170532&loc=d3e12355-112629 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount awarded to other party in judgment or settlement of litigation. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmountAwardedToOtherParty
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount charged against operating income increasing loss contingency liability, after adjustments to reduce previously estimated charges. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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

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

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