Item 1. Business.

General Development of Business

▪General: Altria Group, Inc. is a holding company incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1985. At December 31, 2014, Altria Group, Inc.’s wholly-owned subsidiaries included Philip Morris USA Inc. (“PM USA”), which is engaged predominantly in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States; John Middleton Co. (“Middleton”), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PM USA; and UST LLC (“UST”), which through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, including U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (“USSTC”) and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd. (“Ste. Michelle”), is engaged in the manufacture and sale of smokeless tobacco products and wine. Altria Group, Inc.’s other operating companies included Nu Mark LLC (“Nu Mark”), a wholly-owned subsidiary that is engaged in the manufacture and sale of innovative tobacco products, and Philip Morris Capital Corporation (“PMCC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary that maintains a portfolio of finance assets, substantially all of which are leveraged leases. Other Altria Group, Inc. wholly-owned subsidiaries included Altria Group Distribution Company, which provides sales, distribution and consumer engagement services to certain Altria Group, Inc. operating subsidiaries, and Altria Client Services Inc., which provides various support services, such as legal, regulatory, finance, human resources and external affairs, to Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

At December 31, 2014, Altria Group, Inc. also held approximately 27% of the economic and voting interest of SABMiller plc (“SABMiller”), which Altria Group, Inc. accounts for under the equity method of accounting.

▪Source of Funds: Because Altria Group, Inc. is a holding company, its access to the operating cash flows of its wholly-owned subsidiaries consists of cash received from the payment of dividends and distributions, and the payment of interest on intercompany loans by its subsidiaries. At December 31, 2014, Altria Group, Inc.’s principal wholly-owned subsidiaries were not limited by long-term debt or other agreements in their ability to pay cash dividends or make other distributions with respect to their equity interests. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. receives cash dividends on its interest in SABMiller if and when SABMiller pays such dividends.

Financial Information About Segments

Altria Group, Inc.’s reportable segments are smokeable products, smokeless products and wine. The financial services and the innovative tobacco products businesses are included in an all other category due to the continued reduction of the lease portfolio of PMCC and the relative financial contribution of Altria Group, Inc.’s innovative tobacco products businesses to Altria Group, Inc.’s consolidated results.

Altria Group, Inc.’s chief operating decision maker reviews operating companies income to evaluate the performance of, and

allocate resources to, the segments. Operating companies income for the segments is defined as operating income before amortization of intangibles and general corporate expenses. Interest and other debt expense, net, and provision for income taxes are centrally managed at the corporate level and, accordingly, such items are not presented by segment since they are excluded from the measure of segment profitability reviewed by Altria Group, Inc.’s chief operating decision maker. Net revenues and operating companies income (together with a reconciliation to earnings before income taxes) attributable to each such segment for each of the last three years are set forth in Note 15. Segment Reporting to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Item 8”). Information about total assets by segment is not disclosed because such information is not reported to or used by Altria Group, Inc.’s chief operating decision maker. Segment goodwill and other intangible assets, net, are disclosed in Note 4. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, net to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 4”). The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 2”).

The relative percentages of operating companies income (loss) attributable to each reportable segment and the all other category were as follows:

	2014		2013		2012
Smokeable products	87.2	%	84.5	%	83.7	%
Smokeless products	13.4		12.2		12.5
Wine	1.7		1.4		1.4
All other	(2.3	)	1.9		2.4
Total	100.0	%	100.0	%	100.0	%

For items affecting the comparability of the relative percentages of operating companies income (loss) attributable to each reportable segment, see Note 15. Segment Reporting to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 15”).

Narrative Description of Business

Portions of the information called for by this Item are included in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Operating Results by Business Segment of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Tobacco Space

Altria Group, Inc.’s tobacco operating companies include PM USA, USSTC and other subsidiaries of UST, Middleton and Nu Mark. Altria Group Distribution Company provides sales, distribution and consumer engagement services to Altria Group, Inc.’s tobacco operating companies.

The products of Altria Group, Inc.’s tobacco subsidiaries include smokeable tobacco products comprised of cigarettes manufactured and sold by PM USA and machine-made large

cigars and pipe tobacco manufactured and sold by Middleton; smokeless tobacco products, substantially all of which are manufactured and sold by USSTC; and innovative tobacco products, including e-vapor products manufactured and sold by Nu Mark.

▪Cigarettes: PM USA is the largest cigarette company in the United States, with total cigarette shipment volume in the United States of approximately 125.4 billion units in 2014, a decrease of 3.0% from 2013. Marlboro, the principal cigarette brand of PM USA, has been the largest-selling cigarette brand in the United States for over 35 years.

▪Cigars: Middleton is engaged in the manufacture and sale of machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco to customers, substantially all of which are located in the United States. Middleton sources a portion of its cigars from an importer through a third-party contract manufacturing arrangement. Total shipment volume for cigars was approximately 1.3 billion units in 2014, an increase of 6.1% from 2013. Black & Mild is the principal cigar brand of Middleton.

▪Smokeless tobacco products: USSTC is the leading producer and marketer of moist smokeless tobacco (“MST”) products. The smokeless products segment includes the premium brands, Copenhagen and Skoal, value brands, Red Seal and Husky, and Marlboro Snus, a premium PM USA spit-free smokeless tobacco product. Substantially all of the smokeless tobacco products are manufactured and sold to customers in the United States. Total smokeless products shipment volume was 793.3 million units in 2014, an increase of 0.7% from 2013.

▪Innovative tobacco products: Nu Mark participates in the e-vapor category and has developed and commercialized other innovative tobacco products. In addition, Nu Mark sources the production of its e-vapor products through overseas contract manufacturing arrangements. In 2013, Nu Mark introduced MarkTen e-vapor products in Indiana and Arizona. During 2014, Nu Mark expanded MarkTen nationally. In April 2014, Nu Mark acquired the e-vapor business of Green Smoke, Inc. and its affiliates (“Green Smoke”), which has been selling e-vapor products since 2009. For a further discussion of the acquisition of Green Smoke, see Note 3. Acquisition of Green Smoke to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 3”). Further, in December 2013, Altria Group, Inc.’s subsidiaries entered into a series of agreements with Philip Morris International Inc. (“PMI”) pursuant to which Altria Group, Inc.’s subsidiaries provide an exclusive license to PMI to sell Altria Group, Inc.’s subsidiaries’ e-vapor products outside the United States, and PMI’s subsidiaries provide an exclusive license to Altria Group, Inc.’s subsidiaries to sell two of PMI’s heated tobacco product technologies in the United States.

▪Distribution, Competition and Raw Materials: Altria Group, Inc.’s tobacco subsidiaries sell their tobacco products principally to wholesalers (including distributors), large retail organizations, including chain stores, and the armed services.

The market for tobacco products is highly competitive, characterized by brand recognition and loyalty, with product

quality, taste, price, product innovation, marketing, packaging and distribution constituting the significant methods of competition. Promotional activities include, in certain instances and where permitted by law, allowances, the distribution of incentive items, price promotions and other discounts, including coupons, product promotions and allowances for new products.

In June 2009, the President of the United States of America signed into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (“FSPTCA”), which provides the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) with broad authority to regulate the design, manufacture, packaging, advertising, promotion, sale and distribution of cigarettes, cigarette tobacco and smokeless tobacco products; the authority to require disclosures of related information; and the authority to enforce the FSPTCA and related regulations. The FSPTCA imposes restrictions on the advertising, promotion, sale and distribution of tobacco products, including at retail. The law also grants the FDA authority to extend the FSPTCA application, by regulation, to all other tobacco products, including cigars, pipe tobacco and electronic cigarettes. In April 2014, the FDA issued proposed regulations for other tobacco products, which as proposed would include machine-made large cigars, e-vapor products (such as electronic cigarettes), pipe tobacco and chewable tobacco-derived nicotine products marketed and sold by some of our tobacco subsidiaries. The proposed regulations would impose the FSPTCA regulatory framework, including the foregoing measures, on products manufactured, marketed and sold by Nu Mark and Middleton with potentially wide-ranging impact on their businesses. PM USA and USSTC are subject to quarterly user fees as a result of the FSPTCA, and the cost is being allocated based on the relative market shares of manufacturers and importers of each kind of tobacco product. PM USA, USSTC and other U.S. tobacco manufacturers have agreed to other marketing restrictions in the United States as part of the settlements of state health care cost recovery actions.

In the United States, under a contract growing program, PM USA purchases burley and flue-cured leaf tobaccos of various grades and styles directly from tobacco growers. Under the terms of this program, PM USA agrees to purchase the amount of tobacco specified in the grower contracts. PM USA also purchases a portion of its United States tobacco requirements through leaf merchants.

Tobacco production in the United States was historically subject to government controls, including the production control programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (the “USDA”). In October 2004, the Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 (“FETRA”), which applied to PM USA, Middleton and USSTC, was signed into law. FETRA eliminated the federal tobacco quota and price support program through an industry-funded buy-out of tobacco growers and quota holders. The cost of the 10-year buy-out, which expired after the third quarter of 2014, was approximately $9.5 billion and was paid by manufacturers and importers of each kind of tobacco product subject to federal excise tax (“FET”). The cost was allocated based on the relative market shares of manufacturers and importers of each kind of tobacco product. As

a result of FETRA, Altria Group, Inc.’s subsidiaries recorded charges to cost of sales of approximately $0.3 billion during the year ended December 31, 2014 and approximately $0.4 billion for each of the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.

The quota buy-out and the expiration of the quota buy-out did not have a material impact on Altria Group, Inc.’s 2014 consolidated results.

USSTC purchases burley, dark fire-cured and air-cured tobaccos of various grades and styles from domestic tobacco growers under a contract growing program as well as from leaf merchants.

Middleton purchases burley and dark air-cured tobaccos of various grades and styles through leaf merchants. Middleton does not have a contract growing program.

Altria Group, Inc.’s tobacco subsidiaries believe there is an adequate supply of tobacco in the world markets to satisfy their current and anticipated production requirements. See Item 1A. Risk Factors of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Item 1A”) and Tobacco Space - Business Environment - Price, Availability and Quality of Agricultural Products in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of risks associated with tobacco supply.

Wine

Ste. Michelle is a producer of premium varietal and blended table wines. Ste. Michelle is a leading producer of Washington state wines, primarily Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest and 14 Hands, and owns wineries in or distributes wines from several other wine regions and foreign countries. Ste. Michelle’s total 2014 wine shipment volume of approximately 8.4 million cases increased 4.8% from 2013.

Ste. Michelle holds an 85% ownership interest in Michelle-Antinori, LLC, which owns Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in Napa Valley. Ste. Michelle also owns Conn Creek in Napa Valley and Erath in Oregon. In addition, Ste. Michelle imports and markets Antinori, Torres and Villa Maria Estate wines and Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte in the United States.

▪Distribution, Competition and Raw Materials: Key elements of Ste. Michelle’s strategy are expanded domestic distribution of its wines, especially in certain account categories such as restaurants, wholesale clubs, supermarkets, wine shops and mass merchandisers, and a focus on improving product mix to higher-priced, premium products.

Ste. Michelle’s business is subject to significant competition, including competition from many larger, well-established domestic and international companies, as well as from many smaller wine producers. Wine segment competition is primarily based on quality, price, consumer and trade wine tastings, competitive wine judging, third-party acclaim and advertising. Substantially all of Ste. Michelle’s sales occur through state-licensed distributors.

Federal, state and local governmental agencies regulate the alcohol beverage industry through various means, including licensing requirements, pricing, labeling and advertising restrictions, and distribution and production policies. Further

regulatory restrictions or additional excise or other taxes on the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages may have an adverse effect on Ste. Michelle’s wine business.

Ste. Michelle uses grapes harvested from its own vineyards or purchased from independent growers, as well as bulk wine purchased from other sources. Grape production can be adversely affected by weather and other forces that may limit production. At the present time, Ste. Michelle believes that there is a sufficient supply of grapes and bulk wine available in the market to satisfy its current and expected production requirements.

Financial Services Business

In 2003, PMCC ceased making new investments and began focusing exclusively on managing its portfolio of finance assets in order to maximize its operating results and cash flows from its existing lease portfolio activities and asset sales. For further information on PMCC’s finance assets, see Note 7. Finance Assets, net to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 7”).

Other Matters

▪Customers: The largest customer of PM USA, USSTC and Middleton, McLane Company, Inc., accounted for approximately 27% of Altria Group, Inc.’s consolidated net revenues for each of the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012. Substantially all of these net revenues were reported in the smokeable products and smokeless products segments.

Sales to three distributors accounted for approximately 67% of net revenues for the wine segment for the year ended December 31, 2014 and 66% for each of the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.

▪Employees: At December 31, 2014, Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries employed approximately 9,000 people.

▪Executive Officers of Altria Group, Inc.: The disclosure regarding executive officers is included in Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance - Executive Officers as of February 13, 2015 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

▪Research and Development: Research and development expense for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 is set forth in Note 17. Additional Information to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8.

▪Intellectual Property: Trademarks are of material importance to Altria Group, Inc. and its operating companies, and are protected by registration or otherwise. In addition, as of December 31, 2014, the portfolio of over 650 United States patents owned by Altria Group, Inc.’s businesses, as a whole, was material to Altria Group, Inc. and its tobacco businesses. However, no one patent or group of related patents was material to Altria Group, Inc.’s business or its tobacco businesses as of December 31, 2014. Altria Group, Inc.’s businesses also have proprietary secrets, technology, know-how, processes and other intellectual property rights that are protected by appropriate confidentiality measures. Certain trade secrets are material to Altria Group, Inc. and its tobacco and wine businesses.

▪Environmental Regulation: Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (and former subsidiaries) are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations concerning the discharge of materials into the environment, or otherwise related to environmental protection, including, in the United States: The Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (commonly known as “Superfund”), which can impose joint and several liability on each responsible party. Subsidiaries (and former subsidiaries) of Altria Group, Inc. are involved in several matters subjecting them to potential costs of remediation and natural resource damages under Superfund or other laws and regulations. Altria Group, Inc.’s subsidiaries expect to continue to make capital and other expenditures in connection with environmental laws and regulations. As discussed in Note 2, Altria Group, Inc. provides for expenses associated with environmental remediation obligations on an undiscounted basis when such amounts are probable and can be reasonably estimated. Such accruals are adjusted as new information develops or circumstances change. Other than those amounts, it is not possible to reasonably estimate the cost of any environmental remediation and compliance efforts that subsidiaries of Altria Group, Inc. may undertake in the future. In the opinion of management, however, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, including the payment of any remediation costs or damages and the making of related expenditures, has not had, and is not expected to have, a material adverse effect on Altria Group, Inc.’s consolidated results of operations, capital expenditures, financial position or cash flows.

Financial Information About Geographic Areas

Substantially all of Altria Group, Inc.’s net revenues are from sales generated in the United States for each of the last three fiscal years and substantially all of Altria Group, Inc.’s long-lived assets are located in the United States.

Available Information

Altria Group, Inc. is required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Investors may read and copy any document that Altria Group, Inc. files, including this Annual Report on Form 10-K, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Investors may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, from which investors can electronically access Altria Group, Inc.’s SEC filings.

Altria Group, Inc. makes available free of charge on or through its website (www.altria.com) its Annual Report on

Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after Altria Group, Inc. electronically files such material with, or furnishes it to, the SEC. Investors can access Altria Group, Inc.’s filings with the SEC by visiting www.altria.com/secfilings.

The information on the respective websites of Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this report or incorporated into any other filings Altria Group, Inc. makes with the SEC.