Altria Group 10-K 2023-12-31

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

OR

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number 1-08940

ALTRIA GROUP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

804-274-2200

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. þ Yes ¨ No

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. ¨ Yes þ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days þ Yes ¨ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files) þ Yes ¨ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☑

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). ☐Yes þ No

As of June 30, 2023, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $80 billion based on the closing sale price of the common stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Part I

General Development of Business

When used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”), the terms “Altria,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to either (i) Altria Group, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries or (ii) Altria Group, Inc. only and not its consolidated subsidiaries, as appropriate in the context.

We have a leading portfolio of tobacco products for U.S. tobacco consumers age 21+. Our Vision is to responsibly lead the transition of adult smokers to a smoke-free future (“Vision”). We are Moving Beyond SmokingTM, leading the way in moving adult smokers away from cigarettes by taking action to transition millions to potentially less harmful choices - believing it is a substantial opportunity for adult tobacco consumers, our businesses and society.

Our wholly owned subsidiaries include Philip Morris USA Inc. (“PM USA”), which is engaged 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; UST LLC (“UST”), which, through its wholly owned subsidiary U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (“USSTC”), is engaged in the manufacture and sale of moist smokeless tobacco products (“MST”) and snus products; Helix Innovations LLC (“Helix”), which operates in the United States and Canada, and Helix Innovations GmbH and its affiliates (“Helix ROW”), which operate internationally in the rest-of-world, are engaged in the manufacture and sale of oral nicotine pouches; and NJOY, LLC (“NJOY”), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of e-vapor products. Other wholly owned subsidiaries include Altria Group Distribution Company, which provides sales and distribution services to our domestic operating companies; and Altria Client Services LLC (“ALCS”), which provides various support services to our companies in areas such as legal, regulatory, research and product development, consumer engagement, finance, human resources and external affairs.

On June 1, 2023, we completed our acquisition of NJOY Holdings, Inc. (“NJOY Holdings”), the parent of NJOY, for total consideration of approximately $2.9 billion (“NJOY Transaction”), which consisted of approximately $2.75 billion in cash payments (net of cash acquired) plus the fair value of certain contingent consideration. As a result of the acquisition, NJOY became a wholly owned subsidiary of Altria. For further details, see Note 3. Acquisition of NJOY to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this Form 10-K (“Item 8”).

In March 2023, we entered into a stock transfer agreement with JUUL Labs, Inc. (“Stock Transfer Agreement”) pursuant to which we transferred to JUUL Labs, Inc. (“JUUL”) all of our beneficially owned JUUL equity securities. In exchange, we received a non-exclusive, irrevocable global license to certain of JUUL’s heated tobacco intellectual property.

In October 2022, we entered into a joint venture with JTI (US) Holding, Inc. (“JTIUH”), a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco Inc. (“Japan Tobacco”), for the U.S. marketing and commercialization of heated tobacco stick (“HTS”) products. The joint venture entity, Horizon Innovations LLC (“Horizon”), is structured to exist in perpetuity and is responsible for the U.S. commercialization of HTS products owned by either party. PM USA holds a 75% economic interest in Horizon with JTIUH having a 25% economic interest. The parties plan to collaborate on a global smoke-free partnership. Horizon is governed by a board of managers, which is comprised of four individuals designated by PM USA and three individuals designated by JTIUH. For further information, see Other Tobacco Products below.

In October 2021, we sold International Wine & Spirits Ltd. (“IWS”), which included Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd. (“Ste. Michelle”), in an all-cash transaction with a net purchase price of approximately $1.2 billion and the assumption of certain liabilities of IWS and its subsidiaries (“Ste. Michelle Transaction”).

In December 2020 and April 2021, we purchased the remaining 20% interest in (i) Helix ROW and (ii) Helix, respectively. The total purchase price of the December 2020 and April 2021 transactions was approximately $250 million.

At December 31, 2023, our reportable segments were smokeable products and oral tobacco products. Our all other category included (i) the financial results of NJOY (beginning June 1, 2023); (ii) Horizon; (iii) Helix ROW; and (iv) the IQOS System (as defined below) heated tobacco business due to the relative financial contribution of these businesses to our consolidated results. Prior to the Ste. Michelle Transaction, wine produced and/or sold by Ste. Michelle was a reportable segment. For further information, see Note 16. Segment Reporting to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8. (“Note 16”).

Our investments include Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (“ABI”) and Cronos Group Inc. (“Cronos”), which we account for under the equity method of accounting using a one-quarter lag.

For further discussion of our investments, see Note 7. Investments in Equity Securities to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 7”).

Description of Business

Portions of the information relating to this Item are included in Operating Results by Business Segment in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of this Form 10-K (“Item 7”).

Our operating companies include PM USA, USSTC, Middleton, Helix and NJOY.

The products of our operating companies include: (i) smokeable tobacco products, consisting of combustible cigarettes manufactured and sold by PM USA and machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco manufactured and sold by Middleton; (ii) oral tobacco products, consisting of MST and snus products manufactured and sold by USSTC and oral nicotine pouches manufactured and sold by Helix; and (iii) e-vapor products contract manufactured by third-parties and sold by NJOY.

**▪**Cigarettes: PM USA is the largest cigarette company in the United States and substantially all cigarettes are manufactured and sold to customers in the United States. Marlboro, the principal cigarette brand of PM USA, has been the largest-selling cigarette brand in the United States for over 45 years. Total smokeable products segment’s cigarettes shipment volume in the United States was 76.3 billion units in 2023, a decrease of 9.9% from 2022.

**▪**Cigars: Middleton is engaged in the manufacture and sale of machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco. Middleton contracts with a third-party importer to supply substantially all of its cigars and sells substantially all of its cigars to customers in the United States. Black & Mild is the principal cigar brand of Middleton. Total smokeable products segment’s cigars shipment volume was approximately 1.8 billion units in 2023, an increase of 2.8% from 2022.

**▪**Oral tobacco products: USSTC is the leading producer and marketer of MST products. The oral tobacco products segment includes the premium brands, Copenhagen and Skoal, and a value brand, Red Seal, sold by USSTC. In addition, the oral tobacco products segment includes on! oral nicotine pouches sold by Helix. Substantially all of the oral tobacco products are manufactured and sold to customers in the United States. Total oral tobacco products segment’s shipment volume was 782.9 million units in 2023, a decrease of 2.2% from 2022.

**▪**E-Vapor products: NJOY contracts with third-party importers to supply all of its products and sells its e-vapor products to customers in the United States. NJOY ACE is the principal e-vapor product of NJOY. NJOY is currently the only e-vapor manufacturer to receive market authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for a pod-based e-vapor product.

**▪**Other tobacco products: In connection with the joint venture agreement with JTIUH, Horizon will market and commercialize HTS products, which are defined in the joint venture agreement as products that include both (i) a tobacco heating device intended to heat the consumable without combusting and (ii) a consumable that meets the definition of a cigarette under the U.S. Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act. Horizon is responsible for the U.S. commercialization of current and future HTS products owned by either party and, upon authorization by the FDA of a pre-market tobacco application (“PMTA”), will become the exclusive entity through which the parties market and commercialize HTS products in the United States. Upon PMTA authorization of Ploom HTS products, JTIUH will supply Ploom HTS devices and PM USA will manufacture Marlboro HTS consumables for U.S. commercialization.

In October 2022, we agreed to assign to Philip Morris International Inc. (“PMI”) exclusive U.S. commercialization rights to the IQOS Tobacco Heating System (“IQOS System”) effective April 30, 2024. For further discussion of the agreement with PMI see Note 6. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, net to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 6”).

**▪**Distribution, Competition and Raw Materials: Our tobacco subsidiaries sell their tobacco products principally to wholesalers (including distributors) and large retail organizations, including chain stores.

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, product promotions, coupons and other discounts.

In the United States, under a contract growing program, PM USA purchases the majority of its burley and flue-cured leaf tobaccos directly from domestic tobacco growers. Under the terms of this program, PM USA agrees to purchase the amount of tobacco specified in the grower contracts that meets PM USA’s grade and quality standards. PM USA also purchases a portion of its tobacco requirements through leaf merchants.

USSTC purchases dark fire-cured, dark air-cured and burley leaf tobaccos from domestic tobacco growers under a contract growing program. Under the terms of this program, USSTC agrees to purchase the amount of tobacco specified in the grower contracts that meets USSTC’s grade and quality standards.

Middleton purchases burley, dark air-cured and flue-cured leaf tobaccos through leaf merchants. Middleton does not have a contract growing program.

Helix, through an affiliate, and NJOY purchase tobacco-derived nicotine materials from suppliers and believe their suppliers can satisfy current and anticipated future production requirements.

Our tobacco subsidiaries believe there is an adequate supply of tobacco in the world markets to satisfy their current and anticipated production requirements.

For further discussion of the foregoing matters, the business environment, trends in market demand and competitive conditions, and related risks, see Item 1A. Risk Factors of this Form 10-K (“Item 1A”) and Operating Results by Business Segment - Business Environment in Item 7.

Other Matters

**▪**Customers: For a discussion of our largest customers, including their percentages of our consolidated net revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, see Note 16.

**▪**Executive Officers of Altria: The disclosure regarding executive officers is included in Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance - Information about Our Executive Officers as of February 15, 2024 of this Form 10-K.

**▪**Human Capital Resources: We believe our workforce is critical to achieving our Vision. Attracting, developing, retaining and deploying the best talent with the skills to make significant progress toward our Vision is a key business priority. Moreover, we recognize the importance of doing business the right way. We believe culture influences employee actions and decision making. This is why we dedicate resources to promoting a vibrant, inclusive workplace; attracting, developing, retaining and deploying talented, diverse employees; promoting a culture of compliance and integrity; creating a safe workplace; and rewarding and recognizing employees for both the results they deliver and, importantly, how they deliver them.

Oversight and Management

Our Human Resources department is responsible for managing employment-related matters, including recruiting and hiring, onboarding, compensation and benefits design and implementation, performance management, career management and succession planning and professional and learning development. Our inclusion, diversity and equity (“ID&E”) programs are managed by our Corporate Citizenship department. Our Board of Directors (“Board of Directors” or “Board”) and the Compensation and Talent Development Committee provide oversight of human capital matters, including reviewing initiatives and programs related to corporate culture and enterprise-wide talent development, including our ID&E initiatives.

Inclusion, Diversity and Equity

We recognize the critical importance of ID&E in pursuing our Vision and believe in the value of a workforce composed of a broad spectrum of backgrounds and cultures. In 2020, we established the following aspirational Inclusion & Diversity Aiming Points to help guide our efforts:

▪Be an inclusive place to work for all employees, regardless of level, demographic group or work function.

▪Have equal numbers of men and women among our vice president and director-level employees.

▪Increase our vice president and director-level employees who are Asian, Black, Hispanic or two or more races to at least 30%.

▪Increase our vice president and director-level employees who are LGBTQ+, a person with a disability or a veteran.

▪Have diverse leadership teams that reflect the organizations they lead.

We maintain our commitment to building an inclusive organization and workforce that reflects the diversity of the labor market from which we hire. Our data-driven efforts focus on removing barriers to equal opportunity in compliance with applicable law. We strive for an organization that is more reflective of the diversity of the labor market from which we hire, and we remain committed to ID&E.

We monitor our ID&E progress through inclusive leadership ratings and other measures and report our ID&E progress annually through our corporate responsibility reporting.

Compensation and Benefits

Our compensation and benefits programs are designed to help us attract, retain and motivate strong talent. However, we recognize that the decreasing social acceptance of tobacco usage may impact our ability to attract and retain talent with skills necessary for us to achieve our Vision. We work to manage this risk by, among other things, targeting total compensation packages to be above peer companies with which we compete for talent. Depending on employee level, total compensation includes different elements – base salary, annual cash incentives, long-term equity and cash incentives and benefits. We design our compensation program to deliver total compensation at levels between the 50th and 75th percentiles of compensation paid to employees in comparable positions at our peer companies. Actual total compensation can exceed the 75th percentile or be below the 50th percentile depending on business and individual performance.

We are committed to pay equity across our companies. Based on the most recent annual analysis we conducted in November 2023, for employees performing the same or similar duties regardless of any differentiating factors, such as performance and tenure, salaries of our female employees were 97.8% of those of our male employees, and salaries of our employees of color were 98.1% of those of our white employees. If we adjust for differentiating factors that legitimately influence pay, salaries of our female employees were 99.6% of those of our male employees, and salaries of our employees of color were 99.9% of those of our white employees.

In addition to cash and equity compensation, we offer generous employee benefits such as significant company contributions to deferred profit sharing plans, consumer-driven health plan coverage, vacation and holiday pay, disability and life insurance. We also offer up to 12 weeks paid family leave to bond with a newborn child, the placement of a child for adoption or foster care, or to care for a family member who has a serious health condition. Our benefits also include physical, emotional and financial wellness programs and family creation assistance benefits, such as reimbursement of surrogacy, adoption assistance and fertility expenses. While there is some variability in employee benefits across our companies, the examples we provide are available to most employees.

We are also committed to investing in the educational development of our workforce through a tuition refund program for job-related courses or company-related degrees. We also provide eligible employees with a company-funded contribution applied to the employee’s qualified higher education student loans to help reduce student loan debt.

Attracting, Developing, Retaining and Deploying Talent

Our salaried entry-level recruitment efforts focus on recruiting relationships with universities, internship opportunities and partnerships with organizations that support diverse students. We complement these recruiting efforts with hiring experienced employees with demonstrated skills and/or leadership capabilities.

To help our employees succeed in their roles and develop in their careers, we emphasize ongoing training and leadership development opportunities. Building skills that drive innovation and aligning our employees to our Vision is important for our long-term success. The Human Resources department leads our learning and development efforts partnering with learning professionals embedded in functions throughout our operating and services companies. Employees have access to a wide variety of development programs, including new employee onboarding, in-person, virtual and self-guided training programs, technical training, including training to maintain professional certifications, and our educational refund program for continuing education.

We also have an employee recognition program that allows leaders and employees to reward and recognize colleagues for their outstanding performance and everyday excellence.

We regularly conduct confidential employee engagement surveys to seek feedback on a variety of topics, including employee satisfaction, support from leadership, corporate culture and culture of compliance. In addition, in 2023, these quarterly employee surveys sought feedback on topics such as workplace flexibility, workload, inclusion, development opportunities, management support, compliance and understanding of business strategy. Survey results, including comparisons to prior results, are shared with our employees and our Board and are used to modify or enhance our human capital management programs.

Workplace Safety

Our goal is for every Altria employee to experience an injury-free career, which is supported by our Safety Management System (“SMS”). We strive for continuous improvement in our employee safety program through SMS infrastructure. Our Occupational Safety and Health Administration recordable injury rate for 2023 was 1.2% (versus 1.3% for 2022) and remains below the benchmark for companies in the U.S. Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing industry classification.

Number of Employees and Labor Relations

At December 31, 2023, we employed approximately 6,400 people. Twenty-seven percent of our employees were hourly manufacturing employees who are members of labor unions subject to collective bargaining agreements. We believe we engage and collaborate effectively with our hourly employees, as demonstrated by the positive working relationship between our companies and the unions. We also have long-term agreements that resolve any collective bargaining dispute through binding arbitration, which further demonstrates our trust-based relationship with the unions.

Supply Chain Human Capital Matters

We support efforts to address human capital concerns in the tobacco supply chain. For example, in our domestic tobacco supply chain, in 2023, all of our domestic tobacco growers participated in the Good Agricultural Practices Certification Program to assess growers’ compliance with practices related to labor management and all of our tobacco suppliers participated in the tobacco industry’s Sustainable Tobacco Program, which includes standards related to human and labor rights. Our tobacco companies also establish contract terms and conditions with tobacco growers and leaf suppliers addressing child and forced labor and conduct social compliance audits at leaf supplier facilities in high-risk tobacco growing regions within the United States and internationally. In addition, all suppliers of goods and services that maintain operations in high-risk countries are subject to social compliance audits of those operations.

More information about efforts discussed in this section can be found in our Corporate Responsibility Reports at www.altria.com/responsibility.

**▪**Intellectual Property: Trademarks are of material importance to us and are protected by registration or otherwise. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, the portfolio of United States patents owned by our businesses, as a whole, was material to us and our businesses. However, no one patent or group of related patents was material to our businesses as of December 31, 2023. Our businesses also have proprietary trade secrets, technology, know-how, processes and other intellectual property rights that are protected by appropriate confidentiality measures. Certain trade secrets are material to us and our businesses.

**▪**Government Regulations: We are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations. For example, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (“FSPTCA”) provides the FDA with broad authority to regulate the design, manufacture, packaging, advertising, promotion, sale and distribution of tobacco products; the authority to require disclosures of related information; and the authority to enforce the FSPTCA and related regulations. For further discussion of laws and regulations impacting our operating companies, see Operating Results by Business Segment - Business Environment in Item 7.

We and our subsidiaries (and former subsidiaries) are also 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. Our subsidiaries (and former subsidiaries) are involved in several matters subjecting them to potential costs of remediation and natural resource damages under Superfund or other laws and regulations. Our subsidiaries expect to continue to make capital and other expenditures in connection with environmental laws and regulations. As discussed in Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 2”), we provide 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 our subsidiaries 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 related expenditures, has not had, and is not expected to have, a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, capital expenditures, financial position or cash flows.

Available Information

We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SEC maintains an Internet website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers from which investors can electronically access our SEC filings.

We make available free of charge on or through our website (www.altria.com) our 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 (“Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Investors can access our filings with the SEC by visiting www.altria.com/secfilings.

The information on our respective websites is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this Form 10-K or incorporated into any other filings we make with the SEC.

Our business is subject to various risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, may materially affect actual results and are often outside of our control. We identify a number of these risks and uncertainties below. You should read the following risk factors carefully in connection with evaluating our business and the forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K.

This Form 10-K contains statements concerning our expectations, plans, objectives, future financial performance and other statements that are not historical facts. You can identify these forward-looking statements by use of words such as “strategy,” “expects,” “continues,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “will,” “estimates,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “projects,” “goals,” “objectives,” “guidance,” “targets” and other words of similar meaning. You can also identify them by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts.

We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will be realized, although we believe we have been prudent in our plans, estimates and assumptions. Achievement of future results is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may prove to be inaccurate. If risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying estimates or assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could differ materially from those anticipated. You should bear this in mind as you consider forward-looking statements and whether to invest in or remain invested in our securities. Under the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, we identify important factors that, individually or in the aggregate, could cause actual results and outcomes, including with respect to our ability to achieve our Vision, to differ materially from those contained in, or implied by, any forward-looking statements we make. We elaborate on these important factors and the risks we face throughout this Form 10-K, particularly in the “Executive Summary” and “Business Environment” sections preceding our discussion of the operating results of our segments in Item 7. You should understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all factors and risks. Consequently, you should not consider the foregoing list to be complete. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that we may make from time to time except as required by applicable law.

Risks Relating to Our Business

Business Operations Risks

We may be unsuccessful in anticipating and responding to changes in adult tobacco consumer preferences and purchase behavior, including as a result of difficult economic conditions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

Our operating companies’ portfolios of tobacco products are largely comprised of premium brands, such as Marlboro, Copenhagen and Skoal. As adult tobacco consumer preferences evolve, consumers are increasingly moving across tobacco categories. The willingness of adult tobacco consumers to purchase premium brands is affected by macroeconomic conditions, including inflation and overall economic stability. In periods of economic uncertainty and high inflation, among other conditions, we have observed adult tobacco consumers reduce consumption, purchase more discount brands and consider lower-priced tobacco products, including different categories of tobacco products than those they traditionally purchase.

Our ability to effectively respond to new and evolving adult tobacco consumer purchase behavior catalyzed by challenging macroeconomic conditions and changes in adult tobacco consumer preferences depends on our ability to promote brand equity successfully among our premium and discount brands and broaden our product portfolios across price-points and categories, including by bringing to market new and innovative tobacco products that appeal to adult tobacco consumers. Our failure to do so or our failure to anticipate changing adult tobacco consumer preferences, improve productivity or protect or enhance margins through cost savings and price increases, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

We face significant competition, and our failure to compete effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.

Our operating companies operate in highly competitive environments. Significant competition exists with respect to product quality, taste, price, product innovation, marketing, packaging, distribution and promotional activities. Because many of our operating companies’ products are market leaders, we are subject to antitrust risk. In addition, as adult tobacco consumer preferences evolve, consumers are increasingly moving across tobacco categories. Our operating companies’ failure to compete effectively in these environments could negatively impact profitability, market share (including as a result of down-trading to lower-priced competitive brands) and shipment volume, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.

The growth of innovative tobacco products, including e-vapor products and oral nicotine pouches, has contributed to reductions in the consumption levels and industry sales volumes of cigarettes and other tobacco products, including MST. Furthermore, the sale of illegal flavored disposable e-vapor products has negatively impacted the growth of other e-vapor products. If we are unable to compete effectively in innovative tobacco product categories, including through internal product development, on! oral nicotine pouch products, NJOY e-vapor products, our participation in Horizon, other potential future partnerships with Japan Tobacco and potential future relationships and investments, such inability could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.

PM USA also faces competition from lower-priced brands sold by certain United States and foreign manufacturers that have cost advantages because they are not parties to settlements of certain healthcare cost recovery litigation in the United States and, as such, are not required to make annual settlement payments as required by the parties to the settlements. These settlement payments, which are inflation-adjusted, are significant for PM USA and have contributed to substantial cigarette price increases to help cover their cost. Manufacturers not party to the settlements are subject to state escrow legislation requiring escrow deposits. Such manufacturers may avoid these escrow obligations by concentrating on certain states where escrow deposits are not required or are required on fewer than all such manufacturers’ cigarettes sold in such states. Additional competition has resulted from diversion into the United States market of cigarettes intended for sale outside the United States, diversion of tobacco products intended for sale in one taxing jurisdiction within the United States into another taxing jurisdiction, the sale of counterfeit cigarettes by third parties, the sale of cigarettes by third parties over the Internet and by other means designed to avoid collection of applicable taxes, and imports of foreign lower-priced brands. Competition may also result from tax advantages available to companies with significant imports and exports of finished goods. The market shares of our operating companies’ products also have been negatively impacted by increases in competitive discount product share for cigarettes and MST products, as price sensitive adult tobacco consumers react to their economic conditions. Our failure to compete with lower-priced cigarette brands and counter the impacts of illicit trade in tobacco products could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

In the e-vapor category, illegal flavored disposable product usage has increased, and such products comprise a significant portion of the e-vapor category, which has increased the rate of cross-category movement among adult cigarette smokers and contributed to higher than expected domestic cigarette industry volume decline. We have increased engagement with the FDA and other government agencies and taken legal action to protect our lawful e-vapor business, which expose us to additional costs and expenses. Our failure to counter the impacts of illegal flavored disposable e-vapor products and the FDA’s failure to take enforcement actions against manufacturers and products that violate the law could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

We may be unsuccessful in commercializing innovative products, including tobacco products with reduced health risks relative to certain other tobacco products and that appeal to adult tobacco consumers, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.

We have growth strategies involving innovative products that may have reduced health risks relative to certain other tobacco products, while continuing to offer adult tobacco consumers (within and outside the United States) products that meet their taste expectations and evolving preferences. These strategies include products in the e-vapor, heated tobacco and oral nicotine pouch spaces. For example, we have plans to increase the distribution of NJOY products, enhance NJOY ACE’s brand equity, increase the brand’s awareness and appeal and receive FDA authorizations on certain NJOY products. If we are not successful in executing these strategies, there could be a material negative impact on our business and our ability to achieve our Vision.

The success of Horizon, our joint venture with JTIUH for the marketing and commercialization of HTS products in the United States, in generating new revenue streams by commercializing current and future HTS products owned by us or Japan Tobacco is dependent upon a number of factors. These factors include (i) receipt of regulatory authorizations, (ii) prevailing economic, market, regulatory or business conditions, or changes in such conditions, negatively affecting the parties or their plans for future collaboration and partnerships, (iii) changes in market or other conditions resulting in unanticipated delays in the design and development of future products or the commencement of test launches, (iv) the outcome of any legal proceedings or investigations that may be instituted against the parties or others related to the joint venture, (v) changes in the preferences of U.S. adult tobacco consumers, (vi) the failure to meet commercialization milestones and (vii) the ability of the parties to enter into future partnerships on terms acceptable to both parties and in the expected manner or timeframe, if at all. Such factors could have a negative effect on our ability to generate new revenue streams and enter new geographic markets.

If we do not succeed in commercializing innovative tobacco products that appeal to adult tobacco consumers or we fail to obtain or maintain regulatory authorization for the marketing or sale of these products, including with claims of reduced health risks, we could be at a competitive disadvantage, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.

Failure to complete or manage strategic transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and investments in third parties, or realize the anticipated benefits of such transactions, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.

We regularly evaluate potential strategic transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and investments in third parties. Opportunities for strategic transactions may be limited, and the success of any such transaction is dependent upon our ability to complete and realize the expected benefits of the transaction in the expected time frame or at all. Following the completion of a transaction there may be certain financial, managerial, staffing and talent and operational risks, including diversion of management’s attention from existing core businesses, difficulties integrating other businesses into existing operations and other challenges presented by a transaction that does not achieve anticipated sales levels and profitability. We may not be able to enter into attractive business relationships or execute and complete strategic transactions on favorable terms or at all, and any such relationships or transactions may not improve our competitive position or have the intended financial outcomes. For example, our former investment in JUUL did not result in and, to date, our investment in Cronos has not, resulted in the economic and competitive advantages expected at the time the investments were made.

We may not be able to realize the expected benefits of the NJOY Transaction in the expected manner or timeframe, if at all, including due to failure to receive or maintain regulatory authorizations, changes in adult tobacco consumer preferences, failure to comply with regulatory requirements, prevailing economic, market, regulatory or business conditions, or changes in such conditions, negatively affecting our business and our plans with respect to the e-vapor category, the outcome of any legal proceeding or investigation that may be instituted against the parties or others related to the NJOY Transaction or NJOY or its products and the occurrence of any event requiring us to write down the value of NJOY’s intangible assets, including trademarks and goodwill, due to impairment.

If the NJOY Transaction or any other acquisition, disposition, joint venture, investment in a third party or other strategic relationship is not successful, there could be a material negative impact on our business, financial position and results of operations and our ability to achieve our Vision.

Significant changes in price, availability or quality of tobacco, other raw materials or component parts could have a material adverse effect on our profitability and business.

Shifts in crops (such as those driven by macroeconomic conditions and adverse weather patterns), government restrictions and mandated prices, production control programs, economic trade sanctions, import duties and tariffs, international trade disruptions, inflation, geopolitical instability, climate and environmental changes and disruptions due to man-made or natural disasters may increase the cost or reduce the supply or quality of tobacco, other raw materials, ingredients or component parts used to manufacture our products. Any significant change in such factors could restrict our ability to continue manufacturing and marketing existing products or impact adult tobacco consumer product acceptability and have a material adverse effect on our business and profitability.

For varieties of tobacco only available in limited geographies, government-mandated prices and production control programs, political instability or government prohibitions on the import or export of tobacco in certain countries pose additional risks to price, availability and quality. In addition, as consumer demand increases for innovative smoke-free products and decreases for combustible and MST products, the volume of tobacco leaf required for production of these products has decreased, resulting in reduced tobacco leaf demand. Reduced demand may result in the reduced supply and availability of domestic tobacco as growers divert resources to other crops or cease farming. The unavailability or unacceptability of any one or more particular varieties of tobacco leaf or the unavailability of nicotine extract necessary to manufacture our operating companies’ products could restrict our ability to continue marketing existing products or impact adult tobacco consumer product acceptability, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and profitability. In addition, the nicotine used in our operating companies’ innovative smoke-free products is extracted from tobacco produced in one country. If we are unable to identify alternate sources of nicotine for our operating companies’ innovative products, we could be exposed to the risks discussed above.

Current macroeconomic conditions and geopolitical instability (including inflation, high interest rates, labor shortages, supply and demand imbalances, geopolitical instability and international armed conflicts) are causing worldwide disruptions and delays to supply chains and commercial markets, which limit access to, and increase the cost of, raw materials, ingredients and component parts (for example, tobacco leaf and resins and aluminum used in our packaging). Furthermore, challenging economic conditions can create the risk that our suppliers, distributors, logistics providers or other third-party partners suffer financial or operational difficulties, which may impact their ability to provide us with or distribute finished product, raw materials and component parts and services in a timely manner or at all.

In addition, government taxes, restrictions and prohibitions on the sale and use of certain products may limit access to, and increase the costs of, raw materials and component parts and, potentially, impede our ability to sell certain of our products. For example, certain states have passed extended producer responsibility legislation concerning packaging. Because certain of our products’ packaging consists of single-use plastics, single-use plastic bans and extended producer responsibility mandates could result in bans on some of our product packaging or our products and adversely impact our costs and revenues. Additional taxes and limitations on the use of certain single-use plastics have been proposed by the U.S. Congress and various state and local governments. These existing and potential future laws and regulations could increase the costs of, and impair our ability to, source certain materials used in the packaging for our products.

If we are unable to compensate for supply shortages or elevated commodity and other costs through sustained price increases, cost efficiencies, such as in manufacturing and distribution, or otherwise manage the exposure through sourcing strategies, the limited use of commodity hedging contracts or through other initiatives, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be materially adversely impacted.

Our operating companies rely on a few significant facilities and a small number of key suppliers, distributors and distribution chain service providers, and an extended disruption at a facility or in service by a supplier, distributor or distribution chain service provider could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

Our operating companies face risks inherent in reliance on a few significant manufacturing facilities and a small number of key suppliers, distributors and distribution chain service providers. A natural or man-made disaster, cybersecurity incident, global pandemic or other disruption that affects the manufacturing operations of any of our operating companies, the operations of any key supplier, distributor or distribution chain service provider of any of our operating companies or any other disruption in the supply or distribution of goods or services (including a key supplier’s inability to comply with government regulations, lack of available workers or unwillingness to supply goods or services to a tobacco company) could adversely impact operations. Operations of our operating companies, suppliers, distributors and distribution chain service providers could be suspended temporarily once or multiple times, or halted permanently, depending on various factors. An extended disruption in operations experienced by one or more of our operating companies or in the supply or distribution of goods or services by one or more key suppliers, distributors or distribution chain service providers, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

We may be required to write down intangible assets, including trademarks and goodwill, due to impairment, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial position.

We periodically calculate the fair value of our reporting units and intangible assets to test for impairment. This calculation may be affected by several factors, including general macroeconomic conditions, government actions, including FDA regulatory actions and inaction, changes in category growth (decline) rates as a result of changing adult tobacco consumer preferences, success of planned new product expansions, competitive activity, unfavorable outcomes with respect to litigation proceedings, including actions brought against us alleging patent infringement, and income and excise taxes. Certain events also can trigger an immediate review of intangible assets. If an impairment is determined to exist, we will incur impairment losses, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial position.

We could decide, or be required to, recall products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

We could decide, or laws or regulations could require us, to recall products due to the failure to meet quality standards or specifications, suspected or confirmed and deliberate or unintentional product contamination, or other product adulteration, misbranding or tampering. A product recall or a product liability or other claim (even if unsuccessful or without merit) could have negative economic consequences and also generate negative publicity about us and our products. In addition, if another company recalls or experiences negative publicity related to a product in a category in which we compete, adult tobacco consumers might reduce their overall consumption of products in the category. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

We face various risks related to health epidemics and pandemics, and such events, and the measures that international, federal, state and local governments, agencies, law enforcement and health authorities implement to address them, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

An epidemic, pandemic or other significant public health emergency, and the measures taken by governmental authorities to address it, could significantly disrupt our ability to operate our businesses in the ordinary course. Furthermore, any associated economic consequences could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

If any public health emergency were to occur in the future, we could experience negative impacts. In addition, the specific characteristics of any future public health emergency and associated governmental responses could result in other negative impacts that we cannot foresee. Accordingly, any future emergence or resurgence of an epidemic, pandemic or other public health emergency could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

We may be unable to attract and retain a highly skilled and diverse workforce due to the decreasing social acceptance of tobacco usage, tobacco control actions and other factors, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and our ability to achieve our Vision.

Our ability to implement our strategy of attracting and retaining a highly skilled and diverse workforce may be impaired by the decreasing social acceptance of tobacco usage, tobacco regulation and control actions and other factors. The tobacco industry competes for talent with the consumer products industry and other companies that may enjoy greater societal acceptance and fewer long-term challenges. As a result, we may be unable to attract and retain highly skilled and diverse talent. In addition, our ability to retain a highly skilled and diverse workforce may be adversely affected by competition for highly skilled and diverse workers. Failure to attract and retain highly skilled and diverse talent could have a material adverse effect on our business and our ability to achieve our Vision.

Litigation, Legislative and Regulatory Risks

Unfavorable outcomes with respect to litigation proceedings or any governmental investigations could materially adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows or financial position and our ability to achieve our Vision.

Legal proceedings covering a wide range of matters are pending or threatened in various U.S. and foreign jurisdictions against us and our subsidiaries, including PM USA, as well as our and their respective indemnitees and indemnitors. Various types of claims may be raised in these proceedings, including product liability, unfair trade practices, antitrust, tax, contraband-related claims, patent infringement, employment matters, claims alleging violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), claims for contribution and claims of competitors, shareholders and distributors. Legislative action, such as changes to tort law, also may expand the types of claims and remedies available to plaintiffs.

Competitors and other third parties have brought and may in the future bring action against us, our subsidiaries and/or our suppliers alleging patent infringement. Such claims, regardless of merit, expose us to significant litigation costs and damages, importation bans with respect to products and product components manufactured abroad, divert management’s attention and compromise our operating companies’ abilities to commercialize and improve their products. This risk is especially pertinent to smoke-free products where technology continues advancing rapidly, resulting in a high volume of patents in relevant technology spaces. In a patent lawsuit adjudicated before the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”), the ITC banned the importation of IQOS devices, Marlboro HeatSticks and component parts into the United States and the sale and marketing of any such products previously imported into the United States. As a result of the ITC’s decision, PM USA removed the IQOS devices, Marlboro HeatSticks and any infringing components from the marketplace. In a separate patent lawsuit brought by JUUL currently pending before the ITC, the ITC could impose similar restrictions on NJOY ACE. Any ban on the importation or sale of NJOY ACE could have a negative impact on our business, our valuation of NJOY’s assets and our plans with respect to the e-vapor category.

In certain litigation, we and our subsidiaries may face potentially significant non-monetary remedies in addition to importation bans that could have a material adverse effect on our businesses. For example, in the Federal Government’s lawsuit alleging that certain defendants, including Altria and PM USA, violated RICO and engaged in certain “sub-schemes” to defraud, the district court did not impose monetary penalties but ordered significant non-monetary remedies, including the issuance of “corrective statements.”

Litigation is subject to significant uncertainty, and there could be adverse developments in pending or future cases. An unfavorable outcome or settlement of pending tobacco-related or other litigation could encourage the commencement of additional litigation. Damages claimed in some tobacco-related or other litigation are significant and, in certain cases, have ranged in the billions of dollars. The variability in pleadings in multiple jurisdictions and the actual experience of management in litigating claims demonstrate that the monetary relief that may be specified in a lawsuit bears little relevance to the ultimate outcome.

In certain cases, plaintiffs claim that defendants’ liability is joint and several. In such cases, we may face the risk that one or more co-defendants decline or otherwise fail to participate in the bonding required for an appeal or to pay their proportionate or jury-allocated share of a judgment. As a result, we may have to pay more than our proportionate share of any bonding- or judgment-related amounts under certain circumstances. Furthermore, in cases where plaintiffs are successful, we also may be required to pay interest and attorneys’ fees.

Although we historically have been able to obtain required bonds or relief from bonding requirements in order to prevent plaintiffs from seeking to collect judgments while adverse verdicts have been appealed, there remains a risk that such relief may not be obtainable in all cases. This risk has been substantially reduced given that 47 states and Puerto Rico now limit the dollar amount of bonds or require no bond at all. However, tobacco litigation plaintiffs have challenged the constitutionality of Florida’s bond cap statute in several cases and plaintiffs may challenge state bond cap statutes in other jurisdictions as well. Such challenges may include the applicability of state bond caps in federal court. Although we cannot predict the outcome of such challenges, it is possible that our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position could be materially adversely affected in a particular fiscal quarter or fiscal year by an unfavorable outcome of one or more such challenges.

Each of Altria and our subsidiaries named as a defendant in pending litigation believes, and each has been so advised by counsel handling the respective cases, that it has valid defenses to the litigation pending against it, as well as valid bases for appeal of adverse verdicts.

We have defended, and will continue to defend, vigorously against litigation challenges. However, we may enter into settlement discussions in particular cases if we believe it is in our best interests to do so.

We cannot predict the outcome of any litigation proceedings or governmental investigations, and unfavorable outcomes in any such proceedings or investigations could materially adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

Significant federal, state and local governmental actions, including FDA regulatory actions and inaction, and various private sector actions may continue to have a material adverse impact on our operating companies’ sales volumes and our business.

We face significant governmental and private sector actions, including efforts aimed at reducing the incidence of tobacco use and seeking to hold us responsible for the adverse health effects associated with both smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. These actions, combined with the diminishing social acceptance of smoking, have resulted in reduced cigarette industry volume, and we expect that these factors will continue to reduce cigarette consumption levels, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

We cannot predict whether regulators, including the FDA, will permit the marketing or sale of any particular innovative products (including products with claims of reduced risk to adult tobacco consumers) or whether they will impose a burdensome regulatory framework on such products. In addition, the FDA could, for a variety of reasons, determine that innovative products on the market but pending FDA review of the associated PMTA (such as on! oral nicotine pouches), or those that have previously received authorization, including with a claim of reduced exposure, are not appropriate for the public health, and the FDA could require such products be taken off the market. We also cannot predict whether or to what extent the FDA will take enforcement actions against manufacturers and products that violate the law.

The actions and inaction of regulators, including the FDA, can result in competitive challenges. For example, unpredictable regulatory review periods complicate efforts to strategize and plan with respect to commercialization of a new product once its PMTA is authorized, and we cannot predict or influence the speed with which the FDA reviews PMTAs. A protracted FDA review of a PMTA with respect to our product would allow competitive products already on the market to establish market share, brand recognition and adult tobacco consumer loyalty in the absence of competition from our product. Additionally, we cannot control the order in which the FDA reviews PMTAs. The FDA could review a PMTA for a competitor’s product before it reviews a PMTA submitted by one of our operating companies with respect to a competing product notwithstanding that our operating company submitted its PMTA first. Scenarios such as these would put us at a competitive disadvantage, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, profitability and our ability to achieve our Vision.

In addition to the outcomes discussed above, actions and inaction by the FDA and other federal, state or local governments or agencies can (i) impact the adult tobacco consumer acceptability of or access to tobacco products (for example, through nicotine or constituent limits or menthol or other flavor bans), (ii) limit adult tobacco consumer choices, (iii) restrict communications to adult tobacco consumers, (iv) restrict the ability to differentiate tobacco products, (v) impose additional manufacturing, labeling or packing requirements, (vi) interrupt manufacturing or otherwise significantly increase the cost of doing business, (vii) result in increased illicit trade in tobacco products, (viii) restrict or prevent the use of specified tobacco products in certain locations or the sale of tobacco

products by certain retail establishments, (ix) require the recall of tobacco products due to a determination relating to product contamination or (x) otherwise require the removal of tobacco products from the marketplace (for example, due to a determination that one or more tobacco products fail to satisfy the statutory requirements for substantial equivalence, must proceed through the pre-market review process or must be removed from the marketplace for the protection of public health).

Any federal, state or local governmental action, including regulatory actions and inaction by the FDA, may have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position. Such action and inaction also could negatively impact adult smokers’ transition to these products, which could materially adversely affect our ability to achieve our Vision.

Tobacco products are subject to substantial taxation, and any increases in tobacco product-related taxes could have a material adverse impact on sales of our operating companies’ products.

Tobacco products are subject to substantial taxation, including excise taxes. Significant increases in taxes or fees on tobacco products (including traditional products as well as e-vapor and oral nicotine products) have been proposed or enacted and are likely to continue to be proposed or enacted within the United States at the federal, state and local levels. The frequency and magnitude of excise tax increases can be influenced by various factors, including federal and state budgets and the composition of executive and legislative bodies. Tax increases are expected to continue to have an adverse impact on sales of our operating companies’ tobacco products through lower consumption levels and the potential shift in adult tobacco consumer purchases from the premium to the non-premium or discount segments, to other low-priced or low-taxed tobacco products or to counterfeit and contraband products. Such shifts may also have an adverse impact on the reported share performance of our tobacco products. Any increases in tobacco-related taxes or fees could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial position. In addition, substantial excise tax increases on e-vapor and oral nicotine products could negatively impact adult smokers’ transition to these products, which could materially adversely affect our ability to achieve our Vision.

International business operations subject us to various U.S. and foreign laws and regulations, and violations of such laws or regulations could result in reputational harm, legal challenges and significant penalties and other costs.

While we are primarily engaged in business activities in the United States, we engage (directly or indirectly) in certain international business activities that are subject to various U.S. and foreign laws and regulations, such as foreign privacy laws, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other laws prohibiting bribery and corruption. Although we have a Code of Conduct for Compliance and Integrity and a compliance system designed to prevent and detect violations of applicable law, no system can provide assurance that it will always protect against improper actions by employees, joint venture partners, investees or third parties. Violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations could result in reputational harm, legal challenges and significant penalties and other costs.

A challenge to our tax positions, an increase in the income tax rate or other changes to federal or state tax laws could materially adversely affect our earnings or cash flows.

Tax laws and regulations are complex and subject to varying interpretations. A successful challenge to one or more of our tax positions (which could give rise to additional liabilities, including interest and potential penalties), an increase in the corporate income tax rate or other changes to federal or state tax laws, including changes to how foreign investments are taxed, could materially adversely affect our earnings or cash flows.

Legal and regulatory requirements related to climate change and other environmental sustainability matters could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

The increased concern over climate change and other sustainability matters is likely to result in new or additional legal and regulatory requirements intended to reduce or mitigate environmental issues and may relate to, among other things, greenhouse gas emissions, alternative energy policy, single-use plastics and additional disclosure obligations with respect to climate change and environmental sustainability matters. This additional regulation could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition by increasing our compliance and manufacturing costs and negatively impacting our reputation if we are unable to, or are perceived not to, satisfy such requirements.

Capital Markets and Financing Risks

Disruption and uncertainty in the credit and capital markets could materially adversely affect our business.

Access to the credit and capital markets is important for us to satisfy our liquidity and financing needs. We typically access the commercial paper market in the second quarter to help fund payments under the Master Settlement Agreement (the “MSA”), tax obligations and shareholder dividends. Disruption and uncertainty in the credit or capital markets or high interest rates could negatively impact the availability or cost of capital and adversely affect our liquidity, cash flow, earnings and dividend rate. In addition, tighter credit markets could lead to business disruptions for our suppliers and service providers, which could, in turn, materially adversely impact our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

A downgrade or potential downgrade of our credit ratings could adversely impact our borrowing costs and access to credit and capital markets, which could materially adversely affect our financial condition.

Rating agencies routinely evaluate us, and their ratings are based on a number of factors, including our cash generating capability, levels of indebtedness, policies with respect to shareholder distributions, the impact of strategic transactions and our financial strength generally, as well as factors beyond our control, such as the state of the economy and our industry. Any downgrade or announcement that we are under review for a potential downgrade of our credit ratings, as occurred following our former investment in JUUL, especially any downgrade to below investment grade, could increase our future borrowing costs, impair our ability to access the credit and capital markets, including the commercial paper market, on terms commercially acceptable to us or at all or result in a reduction in our liquidity, requiring us to rely on more expensive types of financing. Any such outcome could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition.

We may be unable to attract investors due to increasing investor expectations of our performance relating to corporate responsibility factors.

There has been a heightened focus from investors and other stakeholders on corporate responsibility, including with respect to environmental, social and governance matters. In response, there has been an increase in third-party providers of assessments and ratings to satisfy investor demand for measurement of corporate responsibility performance, and the criteria by which these third parties measure such performance may vary or change over time. Investors may use these non-financial performance factors to guide investment strategies and, in some cases, may choose not to invest in us if their policies prevent them from investing in tobacco companies or if they believe our policies, actions or disclosures on corporate responsibility issues are inadequate. There is also increased focus, including by governmental and non-governmental organizations, investors, trade customers, consumers, our employees and other stakeholders, on sustainability matters. Despite our efforts, any failure to achieve our corporate responsibility goals, including those aimed at reducing the harm associated with our companies’ products and our underage tobacco prevention goals, could result in adverse publicity, materially adversely affect our business and reputation and impair our ability to attract and retain investors, which could have a material negative impact on the market value of our stock.

Information Technology and Data Privacy Risks

The failure of our, or our service providers’, key suppliers’ or trade customers’, information systems to function as intended, or cyber-attacks or security breaches, could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

We rely extensively on information technology, much of which is managed by third-party service providers (such as cloud data service providers), to support a variety of business processes and activities, including: complying with regulatory, legal, financial reporting and tax requirements; engaging in marketing and e-commerce activities; managing and improving the effectiveness of our operations; researching, developing, manufacturing and distributing our products; collecting and storing sensitive data and confidential information; and communicating with employees, investors, suppliers, trade customers, adult tobacco consumers and others. Our suppliers, supply chain service providers and trade customers also rely extensively on information systems. We continue to make appropriate investments in administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect our information systems and data from cyber-threats, including human error and malicious acts. Our safeguards include employee training, testing and auditing protocols, backup systems and business continuity plans, maintenance of security policies and procedures, monitoring of networks and systems, and third-party risk management.

From time-to-time, we and our service providers, suppliers and trade customers experience attempts to infiltrate and interrupt information systems. To date, interruptions of these information systems as a result of infiltration attempts have not had a material impact on our operations. However, because technology is increasingly complex and cyber-attacks are increasingly sophisticated and more frequent, there can be no assurance that such incidents will not have a material adverse effect on us in the future. For example, the rapid evolution and increased adoption of artificial intelligence technologies may intensify our and our service providers’, key suppliers’ and trade customers’ cybersecurity risks. Failure of our, or our service providers’, key suppliers’ or trade customers’, information systems to function as intended, or cyber-attacks or security breaches, could result in loss of revenue, assets, personal data, intellectual property, trade secrets or other sensitive and confidential data, violation of applicable privacy and data security laws, reputational harm to the companies and their brands, operational disruptions, legal challenges and significant remediation and other costs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our failure, or the failure of our service providers, key suppliers or trade customers, to comply with personal data protection, privacy, artificial intelligence and information security laws could materially adversely affect our business.

We and our service providers, key suppliers and trade customers are subject to a variety of continuously evolving and developing laws and regulations in numerous jurisdictions regarding personal data protection, privacy, artificial intelligence and information security. These laws and regulations may be interpreted and applied differently from country to country or, within the United States, from state to state, and can create inconsistent or conflicting requirements. Our efforts, and the efforts of our service providers, key suppliers and trade customers, to comply with these laws and regulations impose significant costs and challenges that are likely to continue to increase

over time, particularly as additional jurisdictions adopt similar regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations or to otherwise protect personal data from unauthorized access, use or other processing, could result in litigation, claims, legal or regulatory proceedings, inquiries or investigations, damage to our reputation, fines, penalties and business disruptions, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Risks Relating to Our Investments in Equity Securities

The expected benefits of our investment in ABI may not materialize in the expected manner or timeframe or at all, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial position or earnings.

The expected benefits of our investment in ABI may not materialize in the expected manner or timeframe or at all, including due to foreign currency exchange rates; ABI’s business results; ABI’s share price; impairment losses on the value of our investment; our incurrence of additional tax liabilities related to our investment in ABI; and potential reductions in the number of directors that we can have appointed to the ABI board of directors.

We account for our investment in ABI under the equity method of accounting. For purposes of financial reporting, the earnings from and carrying value of our investment in ABI are translated into U.S. dollars (“USD”) from various local currencies. In addition, ABI pays dividends in euros, which we convert into USD. During times of a strengthening USD against these currencies, our reported earnings from and carrying value of our investment in ABI will be reduced because these currencies will translate into fewer USD and the dividends that we receive from ABI will convert into fewer USD. Dividends and earnings from and carrying value of our investment in ABI are also subject to the risks encountered by ABI in its business, its business outlook, cash flow requirements and financial performance, the state of the market and the general economic climate. For example, in 2020, as a result of the uncertainty, volatility and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ABI’s business, ABI reduced by 50% its final 2019 dividend paid in the second quarter of 2020 and did not pay its interim 2020 dividend that would have been paid in the fourth quarter of 2020, which resulted in a reduction of cash dividends we received from ABI.

We assess the value of our investment in ABI as required by United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). If the carrying value of our investment in ABI exceeds its fair value and any loss in value is other than temporary, we record appropriate impairment losses. In a prior period, we concluded that the fair value of our investment in ABI declined below the carrying value of our investment in ABI and that this decline in fair value was other than temporary. As a result, we recorded a non-cash, pre-tax impairment charge for that period. It is possible that we may be required to record significant impairment charges in the future and, if we do so, our net income and carrying value of our investment in ABI could be materially adversely affected.

In the event that our ownership percentage in ABI were to decrease below certain levels, (i) we may be subject to additional tax liabilities, (ii) the number of directors that we have the right to have appointed to the ABI board of directors could be reduced from two to one or zero and (iii) we may be unable to continue to account for our investment in ABI under the equity method of accounting.

Our investment in Cronos subjects us to certain risks associated with Cronos’s business, including legal, regulatory and reputational risks.

Our investment in Cronos, a Canadian cannabinoid company, subjects us to various risks relating to Cronos’s business, such as legal, regulatory and reputational risks. Cronos is engaged in the cultivation, manufacture and marketing of cannabis and cannabis-derived products for the medical and adult-use markets in various international jurisdictions. Accordingly, Cronos’s operations are subject to laws, regulations and guidelines promulgated by various governmental authorities. In the United States, these laws include the Controlled Substances Act, the Civil Assets Forfeiture Reform Act (as it relates to violation of the Controlled Substances Act), all related applicable anti-money laundering laws and FDA regulations. A failure by Cronos or Altria to comply with applicable laws, including cannabis laws, could result in criminal, civil or tax liability, negative impacts on the availability and cost of capital and credit or reputational harm for Altria.

None.

Risk Management and Strategy

We rely extensively on information technology, much of which is managed by third-party service providers (such as cloud data service providers), to support a variety of business processes and activities, including: complying with regulatory, legal, financial reporting and tax requirements; engaging in marketing and e-commerce activities; managing and improving the effectiveness of our operations; researching, developing, manufacturing and distributing our products; collecting and storing sensitive data and confidential information; and communicating with employees, investors, suppliers, trade customers, adult tobacco consumers and others. Recognizing the critical importance of cybersecurity in today’s digital landscape, we are committed to safeguarding our information assets, protecting consumer

data and maintaining the integrity and availability of our systems. Accordingly, we have implemented an extensive cybersecurity risk management framework designed to identify, assess, mitigate and prevent potential cybersecurity risks and to align with industry best practices and all applicable regulatory requirements. We evaluate our cybersecurity risk management framework against the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework, which outlines the core components and responsibilities necessary to sustain a healthy and well-balanced cybersecurity program. We also align our security standards for infrastructure configuration with the Center for Internet Security’s Benchmarks, which are prescriptive recommendations based upon the consensus of global cybersecurity experts.

Our framework is built around the following key principles: (i) risk assessment and threat intelligence; (ii) security controls; (iii) incident response; (iv) employee awareness and training; and (v) third-party risk management. We have integrated our cybersecurity framework into our broad enterprise risk management processes, which allows us to leverage our existing enterprise-wide experience in managing risk and adapting to change in the cybersecurity threat landscape.

**▪**Risk Assessment and Threat Intelligence: We conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats. Our Information Technology (“IT”) Risk Management function, overseen by our Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”), leads internal self-assessments, which involve evaluating the security posture of critical systems, networks and applications as well as the potential impact of cybersecurity threats on our business operations, financial condition and reputation. IT Risk Management also conducts ongoing threat monitoring and has implemented monitoring systems, including technologies such as intrusion detection systems, security information and event management tools and threat intelligence programs.

We regularly engage third-party consulting services to conduct audits and assessments of the effectiveness of our cybersecurity controls and processes and identify areas for improvement based on developments in industry best practices. We also leverage third parties to evaluate our cybersecurity and risk management strategy, review policies and procedures to address new risks and maintain ongoing compliance with evolving legal and regulatory requirements. For example, we partner with leading global security providers to leverage various threat intelligence channels as input to monitor and tune our controls to prevent a cybersecurity attack.

**▪**Security Controls: We employ a layered approach to cybersecurity, implementing a range of technical and procedural controls to protect critical systems and data. These controls include (i) firewalls and intrusion detection and prevention systems to monitor and block unauthorized access attempts, detect and prevent malicious activity and safeguard network infrastructure, (ii) encryption, including secure protocols and multi-factor authentication, to protect information in transit and at rest and (iii) secure network architecture that segregates critical systems from the public internet, limiting exposure to potential threats. We also conduct regular security patching to manage emerging cyber threats.

**▪**Incident Response: We have established an incident response plan and playbooks, which include procedures designed to respond to and recover from cybersecurity incidents. These procedures, which our IT Risk Management function reviews on an ongoing basis both internally and with third-party consultants, provide detailed descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders and the procedures for communication and coordination during an incident. The procedures also provide guidelines for escalating information to senior management, our Disclosure Controls Committee, our Audit Committee, which, as discussed below, has been delegated responsibility for our Board’s cybersecurity risk oversight function, and our full Board and for providing timely public disclosure, when necessary.

To maintain incident readiness and resilience, we conduct periodic disaster recovery exercises and cybersecurity incident management exercises led by our IT Risk Management function. These exercises involve simulating various scenarios and testing our response strategies, allowing us to identify vulnerabilities, refine procedures and enhance our overall crisis management and recovery capabilities. We believe regular practice and evaluation allows us to minimize the impact of potential disruptions and safeguard our operations, data and reputation.

**▪**Employee Awareness and Training: We recognize that employees play a critical role in maintaining a strong cybersecurity posture. Our Information Governance Policy sets forth the requirements for employee conduct relating to company information and company-managed devices, including relevant privacy, data security and data retention policies. We believe that our Information Governance Policy is aligned with industry best practices and applicable legal and regulatory requirements. In addition to our Information Governance Policy, we conduct regular cybersecurity training programs emphasizing the importance of cybersecurity awareness. These programs address relevant cybersecurity topics, such as common cybersecurity threats, phishing awareness and best practices for safeguarding sensitive information. Employees are held accountable for completing all assigned cybersecurity programs and meeting certain performance thresholds in phishing awareness exercises, and there is a range of consequences for underperformance that includes termination.

**▪**Third-Party Risk Management: We acknowledge the potential cybersecurity risks inherent in our relationships with third-parties. Accordingly, we have implemented a third-party risk management program to identify and oversee such risks. This program relies on key elements including risk assessment, due diligence, contractual provisions and ongoing monitoring to identify and mitigate impacts from high-risk third-parties and of specific risks. We use security risk assessment questionnaire tools to identify high-risk third-parties, allowing us to effectively assess and mitigate potential security vulnerabilities.

Our third-party risk assessment framework evaluates the cybersecurity practices and controls of third-parties. For high-risk third-parties, we perform rigorous due diligence inquiries, reviewing documentation with respect to their security policies, incident response capabilities, data protection measures and regulatory compliance. We also review evidence of cybersecurity certifications and the results of independent audits. For high-risk third-parties with access to sensitive data or systems, we conduct more in-depth assessments. Our contracts with high-risk third-parties contain provisions related to data protection, confidentiality, incident reporting and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Throughout our engagements with high-risk third-parties, we maintain a monitoring program with respect to their cybersecurity posture. Leveraging tools such as security questionnaires, security ratings and external threat intelligence, we regularly review and update third-party risk assessments based on changes in the third-party’s services or practices and the risk landscape.

Governance

Our Board devotes significant time and attention to our cybersecurity and information technology risks. Our Board executes its cybersecurity risk oversight function as a whole and by delegating responsibility to our Audit Committee. Our CISO and Chief Information Officer present to our Board annually and to our Audit Committee at least twice each year on a broad range of topics, such as recent and potential cybersecurity threats and incidents across our industry, best practices and policies, emerging trends, vulnerability assessments and management’s ongoing efforts to prevent, detect and address internal and external cybersecurity threats specific to us. These briefings also include periodic third-party cybersecurity program assessments and benchmarks and updates from our cybersecurity incident management exercises. Cybersecurity risks are documented in an IT Risk Dashboard, which is shared with our Audit Committee for awareness several times each year. Our full Board also has access to these materials. Finally, we provide periodic cybersecurity training to our Audit Committee and Board to further cybersecurity awareness and risk oversight.

While our Board and Audit Committee oversee cybersecurity risk, senior management is responsible for actively managing cybersecurity risk, including by overseeing and executing the risk management strategies discussed above. Our Risk Oversight Committee, which is chaired by our Chief Compliance Officer and comprised of members of senior management, including our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer and General Counsel, oversees the management of key enterprise risks, including cybersecurity risks. Senior management reports annually to the Board with respect to our overall enterprise risk management processes. Our CISO presents to the Risk Oversight Committee quarterly to review the status of management’s key cybersecurity risk management strategies. The Risk Oversight Committee also receives the quarterly IT Risk Dashboard.

Our CISO is responsible for assessing and managing cybersecurity risks and maintaining our cybersecurity program. Our CISO has over 20 years of experience, including five years as our CISO, managing technology risks across multiple industries, including financial services, technology and manufacturing. Through strategic hiring and internal development, our CISO increases the levels of skill and experience on our IT Risk Management team to stay ahead of evolving cybersecurity threats. As of the date of this filing, 94% of our IT Risk Management team has technical industry certification, and members of the IT Risk Management team have an average of 15 years of cybersecurity experience. Our CISO currently serves as an advisor to multiple industry groups. Our cybersecurity program undergoes an annual controls effectiveness assessment and bi-annual program maturity evaluation against industry peers and consistently receives assessments indicating that it is ahead of the cybersecurity programs of our peer group.

As of the date of this filing, we are not aware of any current cybersecurity threats or cybersecurity incidents that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect our business, results of operations or financial condition. For further discussion of the risks related to cybersecurity, see Item 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Our Business - Information Technology and Data Privacy Risks.

ALCS owns one property in Richmond, Virginia that serves as the headquarters facilities for Altria, PM USA, USSTC, Middleton, Helix, NJOY and certain other subsidiaries.

PM USA owns and operates a manufacturing facility located in Richmond, Virginia that PM USA uses in the manufacturing of cigarettes (smokeable products segment). PM USA leases portions of this facility to our other subsidiaries for use in the manufacturing of cigars (smokeable products segment) and MST, snus and oral nicotine pouch products (oral tobacco products segment). In addition, PM USA owns a research and technology center in Richmond, Virginia that it leases to ALCS.

The oral tobacco products segment has various manufacturing and processing facilities, the most significant of which are located in Nashville, Tennessee.

The plants and properties owned or leased and operated by us are maintained in good condition and are believed to be suitable and adequate for present needs.

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The information required by this Item is included in Note 19. Contingencies to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 19”) and Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 to this Form 10-K. Altria’s consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2023 were filed on Form 8-K on February 1, 2024 (such consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes are also included in Item 8). The following summarizes certain developments in Altria’s litigation since the filing of the Form 8-K.

Recent Developments

**▪**Engle Progeny Trial Results

In Schertzer, in January 2024, the Florida Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the final judgment against PM USA and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, awarding plaintiff $3 million in compensatory damages plus attorneys’ fees and no punitive damages. We intend to file post-trial motions and, if necessary, an appeal.

**▪**Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation

Settlements of NPM Adjustment Disputes: In February 2024, Idaho joined the multistate settlement, settling adjustment disputes through 2031 and bringing the total number of states and territories that have joined the multistate settlement to 39. As a result, PM USA will receive approximately $8 million for 2005 through 2023, $2 million of which relates to the 2021 through 2023 “transition years.” In connection with this development, PM USA recorded $8 million as a reduction in cost of sales in the first quarter of 2024.

**▪**IQOS Litigation

In February 2024, PMI and British American Tobacco p.l.c. agreed to settle multiple ongoing patent infringement disputes, including the patent infringement action pending before the ITC. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the parties agreed, among other things, to request rescission of the limited exclusion order barring the importation of the IQOS System electronic device, Marlboro HeatSticks and component parts into the United States and the cease and desist order barring domestic sales, marketing and distribution of these imported products.

**▪**Antitrust Litigation

In February 2024, the trial court ordered that two of three direct-purchaser plaintiffs’ claims against JUUL be sent to arbitration pursuant to an arbitration provision in JUUL’s online purchase agreement and dismissed without prejudice all three direct-purchaser plaintiffs’ claims for injunctive relief.

Not applicable.

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Part II

Performance Graph

The graph below compares the cumulative total shareholder return of our common stock for the last five years with the cumulative total return for the same period of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P Food, Beverage and Tobacco Industry Group Total Return Index. The graph assumes the investment of $100 in common stock and each of the indices as of the market close on December 31, 2018 and the reinvestment of all dividends on a quarterly basis.

Sources: FactSet for 2020 to 2023 and Bloomberg “Total Return Analysis” calculated on a daily basis for 2019. Total return assumes reinvestment of dividends as of the ex-dividend date.

Market and Dividend Information

The principal stock exchange on which our common stock (par value $0.33 1/3 per share) is listed is the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “MO”. At February 15, 2024, there were approximately 48,000 holders of record of our common stock.

We have a history of paying cash dividends, and in the first quarter of 2023, established a new progressive dividend goal targeting mid-single digits dividend per share growth annually through 2028. Future dividend payments remain subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors.

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Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities During the Quarter Ended December 31, 2023

In January 2023, our Board of Directors authorized a $1.0 billion share repurchase program, which we completed in December 2023.

In January 2024, our Board of Directors authorized a new $1.0 billion share repurchase program, which we expect to complete by December 31, 2024. The timing of share repurchases under this program depends upon marketplace conditions and other factors, and the program remains subject to the discretion of our Board.

Our share repurchase activity for each of the three months in the period ended December 31, 2023, was as follows:

(1) The total number of shares purchased includes (a) shares purchased under the January 2023 share repurchase program and (b) shares withheld by Altria in an amount equal to the statutory withholding taxes for vested stock-based awards previously granted to eligible employees (which totaled 45,289 in October and 1,005 shares in November).

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the other sections of this Form 10-K, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes contained in Item 8, and the discussion of risk factors that may affect future results in Item 1A. Additionally, refer to Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) in our 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K for management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, which we filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023 and is incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K.

In this MD&A section, we refer to the following “adjusted” financial measures: adjusted operating companies income (loss) (“OCI”); adjusted OCI margins; adjusted net earnings; adjusted diluted earnings per share (“EPS”); and adjusted effective tax rates. We also refer to the ratio of debt-to-Consolidated EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, as defined in our credit agreement, which includes certain adjustments). These financial measures are not required by, or calculated in accordance with, United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and may not be calculated the same as similarly titled measures used by other companies. These financial measures should thus be considered as supplemental in nature and not considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. For a further description of these non-GAAP financial measures, see the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section below.

Executive Summary

Our Business

We have a leading portfolio of tobacco products for U.S. tobacco consumers age 21+. Our Vision is to responsibly lead the transition of adult smokers to a smoke-free future. We are Moving Beyond SmokingTM, leading the way in moving adult smokers away from cigarettes by taking action to transition millions to potentially less harmful choices - believing it is a substantial opportunity for adult tobacco consumers, our businesses and society.

As we execute on our Vision, we established our 2028 Enterprise Goals (“2028 Goals”) to provide our investors with specific metrics to measure our progress. Our 2028 Goals are:

Corporate

**▪**Deliver a mid-single digits adjusted diluted EPS compounded annual growth rate in 2028 from a $4.84 base in 2022;

**▪**A progressive dividend goal targeting mid-single digits dividend per share growth annually through 2028;

**▪**Target a debt-to-Consolidated EBITDA ratio of approximately 2.0x;

**▪**Maintain our leadership position in the U.S. tobacco space; and

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**▪**Maintain a total adjusted OCI margin of at least 60% in each year through 2028 while investing behind innovative smoke-free products.

U.S. Smoke-Free Portfolio

**▪**Grow U.S. smoke-free volumes by at least 35% from our 2022 base of 800 million units by 2028; and

**▪**Approximately double our U.S. smoke-free net revenues to $5 billion by 2028 from our 2022 base, with $2 billion sourced from innovative smoke-free products.

Long-Term Growth

**▪**Compete internationally in the top innovative oral tobacco markets and develop a pathway to participate in heated tobacco and e-vapor markets; and

**▪**Enter non-nicotine categories with broad commercial distribution of at least five products by 2028.

See Operating Results by Business Segment and Liquidity and Capital Resources for additional information on total adjusted OCI margin and debt-to-Consolidated EBITDA, respectively.

Our wholly owned subsidiaries include leading manufacturers of both combustible and smoke-free products. In combustibles, we own PM USA, the most profitable U.S. cigarette manufacturer, and Middleton, a leading U.S. cigar manufacturer.

In smoke-free products, we own USSTC, the leading global MST manufacturer, Helix, a leading manufacturer of oral nicotine pouches and NJOY, currently the only e-vapor manufacturer with market authorizations from the FDA for a pod-based e-vapor product. Additionally, we have a majority-owned joint venture, Horizon, for the U.S. marketing and commercialization of HTS products and, through a separate agreement, we have the exclusive U.S. commercialization rights to the IQOS System and Marlboro HeatSticks through April 2024. As of this filing, there are no products in the U.S. marketplace from the joint venture or exclusive rights agreement.

On June 1, 2023, we acquired NJOY Holdings. For further details, see Note 3. Acquisition of NJOY to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 3”).

In March 2023, we entered into the Stock Transfer Agreement and, in exchange, we received a non-exclusive, irrevocable global license to certain of JUUL’s heated tobacco intellectual property.

The brand portfolios of our operating companies include Marlboro, Black & Mild, Copenhagen, Skoal, on! and NJOY. Trademarks related to Altria referenced in this Form 10-K are the property of Altria or our subsidiaries or are used with permission.

Our investments in equity securities include ABI, the world’s largest brewer, and Cronos, a leading Canadian cannabinoid company.

For a description of Altria, see Item 1. Business of this Form 10-K (“Item 1”).

Trends and Developments

In this MD&A section, we discuss factors that have impacted our business as of the date of this Form 10-K. In addition, we are aware of and address, in this section and other MD&A sections, certain trends and developments that could, individually or in the aggregate, have a material impact on our business, including the value of our investments in equity securities, in the future. We focus in this Trends and Developments section on the cumulative effects of inflation, geopolitical events, recent regulatory actions, supply chain disruptions and illegal flavored disposable e-vapor products and their effects or potential effects on our business, including impacts on adult tobacco consumers and their purchasing behaviors.

We continue to monitor the evolving macroeconomic and geopolitical landscapes. While the annual rate of inflation declined during 2023, inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%, which is a key benchmark for the Federal Reserve in determining the timing and magnitude of changes to the federal funds rate. We continue to observe discretionary income pressures on adult tobacco consumers as a result of the cumulative effects of inflation and higher consumer debt levels. During 2023, cigarette retail share for the industry discount segment increased year-over-year. We will continue to monitor the effect of these dynamics on adult tobacco consumer purchase behaviors, including overall tobacco product expenditures, mix between premium and discount brand purchases and adoption of smoke-free products. We expect discretionary income pressures to continue to influence adult tobacco consumers’ purchase behaviors in 2024. Inflation also has a direct and adverse impact on our direct and indirect costs.

In the e-vapor category, illegal flavored disposable product usage increased in 2023 and currently comprises over 50% of the e-vapor category. The primary impacts of this trend have been an increase in the rate of cross-category movement among adult cigarette smokers, contributing to higher than expected domestic cigarette industry volume declines as well as declines in pod-based product volume within the e-vapor category.

Tobacco companies are subject to broad and evolving regulatory and legislative frameworks that could have a material impact on our business. For example, the FDA has submitted for final review proposed product standards regarding menthol in cigarettes and characterizing flavors in cigars, and the Biden Administ

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Interest Rate Risk

The fair value of our long-term debt, all of which is fixed-rate debt, is subject to fluctuations resulting primarily from changes in market interest rates. The following table provides the fair value of our long-term debt and the change in fair value based on a 1% increase or decrease in market interest rates at December 31:

We expect interest rates on borrowings under our Credit Agreement to be based on the Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate, plus a percentage based on the higher of the ratings of our long-term senior unsecured debt from Moody’s and S&P. The applicable percentage for borrowings under our Credit Agreement at December 31, 2023 was 1.0% based on our long-term senior unsecured debt ratings on that date. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had no borrowings under our Credit Agreement or prior credit agreement, respectively.

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in millions of dollars)

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Continued)

(in millions of dollars, except share and per share data)

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

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Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Earnings

(in millions of dollars, except per share data)

S

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None.

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We carried out an evaluation, with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Form 10-K. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

The Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and the Report of Management on Internal Control over Financial Reporting are included in Item 8.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2023, none of our directors or officers adopted, modified or terminated any “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K.

Not applicable.

Part III

Except for the information relating to the executive officers set forth in Item 10, the information called for by Items 10-14 is hereby incorporated by reference to our definitive proxy statement for use in connection with our Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 16, 2024 that is expected to be filed with the SEC on or about April 4, 2024 (“proxy statement”), and, except as indicated therein, made a part hereof.

Refer to “Board and Governance Matters - Proposal 1 - Election of Directors” and “Board and Governance Matters - Board and Committee Governance” sections of the proxy statement.

Information about Our Executive Officers as of February 15, 2024:

All of the above-mentioned executive officers have been employed by Altria or our subsidiaries in various capacities during the past five years.

As previously announced, Mr. Garnick will retire as Executive Vice President and General Counsel, effective April 1, 2024. Robert A. McCarter III (age 51) was elected to become Executive Vice President and General Counsel upon Mr. Garnick’s retirement. Mr. McCarter currently serves as Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel, ALCS, a position he has held since November 2020.

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Prior to this role, he served as Vice President and Associate General Counsel, ALCS, from July 2015 through October 2020. Mr. McCarter has been continuously employed by ALCS in legal positions since 2015.

Mr. Whitaker’s wife and Mr. Surgner’s wife are first cousins.

Codes of Conduct and Corporate Governance

We have adopted the Altria Code of Conduct for Compliance and Integrity, which complies with requirements set forth in Item 406 of Regulation S-K. This Code of Conduct applies to all of our employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, and persons performing similar functions. We have also adopted a code of business conduct and ethics that applies to the members of our Board of Directors. These documents are available free of charge on our website at www.altria.com.

Any waiver granted by us to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer or controller under the Code of Conduct, and certain amendments to the Code of Conduct, will be disclosed on our website at www.altria.com within the time period required by applicable rules.

In addition, we have adopted corporate governance guidelines and charters for our Audit, Compensation and Nominating, Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility Committees and the other committees of our Board of Directors. All of these documents are available free of charge on our website at www.altria.com.

The information on our websites is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this Form 10-K or incorporated into any other filings we make with the SEC.

Refer to “Executive Compensation,” and “Board and Governance Matters - Director Compensation” sections of our proxy statement.

The number of shares to be issued upon exercise or vesting and the number of shares remaining available for future issuance under our equity compensation plans at December 31, 2023, were as follows:

(1)Our shareholders have approved the following plans, shares of which are referenced in column (a) or column (c): the 2015 Performance Incentive Plan, the 2020 Performance Incentive Plan and the 2015 Stock Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors.

(2)Represents 3,472,801 shares of restricted stock units and 927,503 shares that may be issued upon vesting of performance stock units if maximum performance measures are achieved.

(3)Includes 20,432,234 shares available under the 2020 Performance Incentive Plan and 589,927 shares available under the 2015 Stock Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors, and excludes shares reflected in column (a).

Refer to “Ownership of Equity Securities of Altria - Directors, Nominees and Executive Officers” and “Ownership of Equity Securities of Altria - Certain Other Beneficial Owners” sections of our proxy statement.

Refer to “Related Person Transactions, Director Code and Code of Conduct” and “Board and Governance Matters - Altria Board of Directors - Director Independence Determinations” sections of our proxy statement.

Refer to “Audit Committee Matters - Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s Fees” and “Audit Committee Matters - Pre-Approval Policy” sections of our proxy statement.

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Part IV

(a) Index to Consolidated Financial Statements

Schedules have been omitted either because such schedules are not required or are not applicable.

In accordance with Regulation S-X Rule 3-09, the audited financial statements of ABI for the year ended December 31, 2023 will be filed by amendment within six months after ABI’s year ended December 31, 2023.

(b) The following exhibits are filed as part of this Form 10-K:

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• Denotes management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement in which directors or executive officers are eligible to participate.

None.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: February 27, 2024

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated: