US Marlboro volume down 5.5 percent

Philip Morris USA’s cigarette shipment volume during the three months to the end of June, at 31,470 million, was down by 5.0 percent on that of the three months to the end of June 2015, 33,124 million.

Marlboro shipments were down by 5.5 percent to 26,933 million; shipments of other premium brands fell by 6.1 percent to 1,660 million; while shipments of discount brands increased by 0.6 percent to 2,877 million.

PM USA’s share of the retail cigarette market during the three months to the end of June, at 51.4 percent, was unchanged from that of the three months to the end of June 2015. Marlboro’s share, at 44.1 percent, was down by 0.1 of a percentage point; the share of its other premium brands was down by 0.1 of a percentage point to 2.7 percent; while the share of the company’s discount brands was increased by 0.2 of a percentage point to 4.6 per cent.

The Altria Group yesterday published its second-quarter and first-half results for 2016.

Middleton’s cigar shipment volume during the three months to the end of June, at 359 million, was increased by 7.5 percent on that of the three months to the end of June 2015, 334 million. Black & Mild brand shipments were up by 8.9 percent to 354 million, while shipments of other brands fell by 44.4 percent from nine million to five million.

Middleton’s share of the domestic retail cigar market during the three months to the end of June, at 26.7 percent, was down by 1.1 percentage points from that of the three months to the end of June 2015. Black & Mild’s share was down by 1.2 percentage points to 26.3 percent, while the share of the company’s other brands increased by 0.1 of a percentage point to 0.4 per cent.

USSTC and PM USA’s combined, smokeless-products shipment-volume during the three months to the end of June, at 217.9 million cans and packs, was up by 4.3 percent on that of the three months to the end of June 2015, 209.0 million.

Shipments of Copenhagen were up by 10.6 percent to 134.0 million; those of Skoal were down by 4.0 percent to 66.6 million; while those of other brands were down by 6.0 percent to 17.3 million.

USSTC and PM USA’s share of the US market for smokeless products during the three months to the end of June, at 55.8 percent, was up by 1.1 percentage points on that of the three months to the end of June 2015. Copenhagen’s share was up by 2.8 percentage points to 34.0 percent; Skoal’s share was down by 1.3 percentage points to 18.5 percent; while the share of other brands was down by 0.4 of a percentage point to 3.3 percent.

Meanwhile, PM USA’s cigarette shipment volume during the six months to the end of June, at 61,009 million, was down by 2.1 percent on that of the six months to the end of June 2015, 62,322 million.

Marlboro shipments fell by 2.5 percent to 52,294 million; shipments of other premium brands fell by 5.1 percent to 3,174 million; while shipments of discount brands increased by 3.3 percent to 5,541 million.

Middleton’s cigar shipment volume during the six months to the end of June, at 686 million, was increased by 7.9 percent on that of the six months to the end of June 2015, 636 million. Black & Mild brand shipments were up by 7.7 percent to 671 million; while shipments of other brands rose by 15.4 percent to 15 million.

USSTC and PM USA’s combined, domestic, smokeless-products shipment-volume during the six months to the end of June, at 424.0 million, was increased by 6.0 percent on that of the six months to the end of June 2015, 400.1 million. Copenhagen shipments were up by 11.9 percent to 258.8 million; Skoal shipments were down by 1.7 percent to 131.1 million; while shipments of other brands were down by 3.7 percent to 34.1 million.

Altria’s second-quarter reported diluted earnings per share (EPS) increased by 13.5 percent to $0.84, and its second-quarter adjusted diluted EPS, which excludes the impact of special items, increased by 9.5 percent to $0.81.

Altria’s first-half reported diluted EPS increased by 17.6 percent to $1.47, and its first-half adjusted diluted EPS increased by 10.9 percent to $1.53.

“Altria had strong 2016 second-quarter and first-half results, delivering excellent earnings per share growth for both periods despite comparisons to very strong 2015 results,” said Marty Barrington, Altria’s chairman, CEO and president.

“Our core tobacco companies performed extremely well behind solid performance from their leading premium brands.

“And we continued to reward our shareholders, including paying out more than $2.2 billion in dividends in the first six months.”