Altria’s cigarette shipments down but cigar and smokeless volumes up

PM USA’s domestic cigarette shipment volume during the three months to the end of March, at 28,749 million, was down by 2.5 percent on that of the first quarter of 2013, 29,501 million.

The company estimates that, when adjusted for trade inventory changes, its domestic cigarette shipment volume fell about 3.5 percent against a total cigarette category volume decline of about 4 percent.

Meanwhile, within PM USA’s total shipments, Marlboro volume was down by 2.4 percent to 24,816 million, while the volume of the company’s other premium brands fell by 8.6 percent to 1,629 million. Sales of discount brands, however, increased by 0.9 percent to 2,304 million.

PM USA’s cigarette market share during the three months to the end of March, at 50.7 percent, was up by 0.2 of a percentage point on that of the first quarter of 2013.

Marlboro’s share was increased by 0.2 of a percentage point to 43.8 percent, while the share of the company’s other premium brands fell by 0.2 of a percentage point to 2.9 percent. The share of PM USA’s discount brands rose by 0.2 of a percentage point to 4 percent.

Altria’s first-quarter results, reported yesterday, also included those of Middleton and USSTC. Middleton’s domestic cigar shipment volume during the three months to the end of March, at 274 million, was up by 0.4 percent on that of the first quarter of 2013, 273 million. Shipment volume of the company’s Black & Mild brand was increased by 0.4 percent to 270 million, while that of its other brands was unchanged at 4 million.

Middleton’s retail market share increased by 0.3 of a percentage point to 28.4 percent, with Black & Mild’s share up 0.3 of a percentage point to 28.2 percent and the share of the company’s other brands unchanged at 0.2 percent.

USSTC and PM USA’s combined domestic market shipment volume of smokeless products during the three months to the end of March, at 186.1 million cans and packs, was up by 5.9 percent on that of the first quarter of 2013, 175.7 million.

Copenhagen’s shipment volume increased by 11.1 percent to 103.9 million, but Skoal’s volume fell by 0.6 percent to 64.0 million. The shipment volume of other brands increased by 2.2 percent to 18.2 million.

USSTC and PM USA’s retail market share during the three months to the end of March, at 54.9 percent, was down by 0.1 of a percentage point from that of the first quarter of 2013.

Copenhagen’s market share increased by 1.5 percentage points to 30.2 percent, while Skoal’s share fell by 1.3 percentage points to 20.6 percent. Other brands’ market share fell by 0.3 of a percentage point to 4.1 percent.

In announcing Altria’s results, Chairman and CEO Marty Barrington said the company had increased adjusted, diluted earnings per share (EPS) by 5.6 percent behind the strength of its “core tobacco businesses and their leading premium brands.” “Our smokeable and smokeless products segments grew their adjusted operating companies’ income and expanded margins.”

“We also continued to make disciplined investments to grow new income streams with innovative products. In e-vapor, Nu Mark will begin its national launch of MarkTen in June.

Nu Mark also closed the Green Smoke acquisition earlier this month.”