Altria Group, Inc.

U.S. holding company with interests in tobacco, foods, and financial services.

Formerly called Philip Morris Cos., Inc., the group changed its name to Altria in January 2003. Its holdings include Kraft Foods, Inc. (including Nabisco), Philip Morris International Inc., and Philip Morris USA Inc. (see Philip Morris tobacco companies), and an interest in SABMiller PLC, which was created in 2002 from the merger of South African Breweries PLC and Miller Brewing Co. Philip Morris had acquired the Miller Brewing Co. in 1969. It continued to reduce its dependence on tobacco by acquiring General Foods (1985), Kraft Foods (1988), and Nabisco (2000), among others. In 1998, as part of the settlement of a suit brought against it and other cigarette manufacturers by 46 U.S. states, the company agreed to participate in paying more than $200 billion to the states for smoking-related health-care costs.

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