Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) (previously named Philip Morris Companies Inc.), based in New York City, is the parent company of Philip Morris International, Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris Capital Corporation, and is one of the world's largest tobacco corporations. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. has a 28.7% economic and voting interest in one of the world's largest brewing companies, UK based SABMiller plc. It is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500.
On January 27, 2003, Philip Morris Companies Inc. changed its name to Altria Group, Inc. On March 30, 2007, a spin out of Kraft Foods subsidiary (publicly traded since 2001) was concluded through distribution of the remaining stake of shares (88.1%) to Altria shareholders. As a result, Altria no longer holds any interest in Kraft Foods.

Holdings
Altria's tobacco subsidiary, Philip Morris, is the world's largest commercial tobacco company by sales. Their flagship Marlboro is the world's most popular tobacco brand. Other popular tobacco brands owned by Philip Morris are Parliament, Virginia Slims, and Benson & Hedges (licensed in some markets).
Philip Morris was founded by a London tobacconist of the same name. He was one of the first people to sell hand-rolled cigarettes in the 1860s, selling them under the brand names Oxford and Cambridge Blues, following the adoption of cigarette smoking by British soldiers returning from the Crimean War. The company opened its New York office in 1902 and soon became part of James Duke's American Tobacco Company monopoly.
Though Altria's headquarters are still in New York, in 2004 its Philip Morris USA division completed a move of its 682 New York based employees to Richmond, Virginia. Of the 682 offered relocation, only a handful accepted and relocated. Over 500 New York based employees accepted an early retirement or severance package and did not make the move to Richmond.

Philip Morris component

History

1847: Philip Morris opens a shop in London, selling tobacco and ready-made cigarettes.
1881: Philip Morris goes public in London.
1887: The company becomes Philip Morris & Co., Ltd.
1902: Philip Morris & Co. Ltd. is incorporated in New York.
1919: Acquisition of Philip Morris & Co. in the US by a new firm owned by American stockholders and incorporation in Virginia under the name of Philip Morris & Co., Ltd., Inc.
1924: Introduction of the Marlboro brand
1954: The first major affiliate outside the USA is created: Philip Morris (Australia) Ltd.
1955: Philip Morris & Co. Ltd., Inc. changes its name to Philip Morris Incorporated.
1955: Philip Morris Overseas is established as an international division within Philip Morris (to be renamed Philip Morris International in 1967).
1963: Philip Morris acquires its first factory in Europe, Switzerland's Fabriques de Tabac Réunies (FTR).
1967: Philip Morris reorganizes to create three internal operating divisions within Philip Morris Incorporated: Philip Morris Domestic, Philip Morris International and Philip Morris Industrial.
1968: Philip Morris Domestic changes its name to Philip Morris USA.
1969: Philip Morris Inc. acquires Miller Brewing Company from W.R. Grace and Company
1970: Philip Morris GmbH set up as an affiliate in Germany.
1985: Philip Morris Companies, a holding company, becomes the publicly-held parent of Philip Morris Incorporated.
1987: Philip Morris International, newly incorporated operating company, acquires the international business division of Philip Morris, Inc.
1988: Philip Morris Companies Inc. acquires Kraft Foods.
2000: Philip Morris Companies Inc. merges Nabisco, a spin-off from RJR Nabisco, into Kraft Foods.
2001: Philip Morris International headquarters are relocated from the USA to Lausanne, Switzerland.
2002: Philip Morris Companies Inc. sells Miller Brewing Company to South African Breweries, retaining a 36% share.
2003: Philip Morris Companies Inc. changes its name to Altria Group, Inc., the parent company of Kraft Foods, Philip Morris USA, Philip Morris International and Philip Morris Capital Corporation.
2007: The company announces the spin-off of Kraft Foods, and will concentrate on its tobacco activity
2007: Altria announces the planned spin-off of Philip Morris International Altria's history at a glance

Alpine
Basic
Best
Bristol
Bond Street
Bucks
Cambridge
Chesterfield(named for Chesterfield County, Virginia)
Classic
Collector's Choice
Commander
Drina
English Ovals
F6
Lark
L&M
Marlboro
Merit
Morava
Multifilter
Next
Parliament
Players
Red & White
Saratoga
Sampoerna
Virginia Slims Products

Corporate governance
Current members of the board of directors of Altria Group are:
On May 1, 2006, Carlos Slim resigned from the board of directors. The board presently comprises eleven members.

Elizabeth Bailey
Harold Brown (former U.S. Secretary of Defense)
Mathis Cabiallavetta
Louis C. Camilleri
Dudley Fishburn
Robert Huntley
Thomas W. Jones
George Muñoz
Lucio Noto
John S. Reed
Marcelo Escalón
Stephen Wolf Board of directors

Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Altria Group, Inc.
André Calantzopoulos, President and Chief Executive Officer, Philip Morris International Inc.
Michael E. Szymanczyk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Philip Morris USA Inc
John J. Mulligan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Philip Morris Capital Corporation.
Nancy J. De Lisi, Senior Vice President, Mergers and Acquisitions, Altria Group, Inc.
Dinyar S. Devitre, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Altria Group, Inc.
David I. Greenberg, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Altria Group, Inc.
Steven C. Parrish, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Altria Group, Inc.
Charles R. Wall, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Altria Group, Inc.