MOP Mincorp

    Altria Group Inc

 Philip Morris International Presents at Consumer Analyst Group of New
                        York (CAGNY) Conference

Philip Morris International (PMI), the international tobacco operating company
of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO), appeared today at the Consumer Analyst Group
of New York (CAGNY) Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, with a presentation by
Hermann Waldemer, President, Western Europe Region for PMI.

An audio webcast of the presentation will be available beginning at
approximately 1:15 p.m. mountain time (3:15 p.m. eastern time) on February 23,
2005, and an archived copy of the webcast and the text of the presentation will
be available until 5:00 p.m. eastern time on Friday, March 25, 2005. Access is
available at www.altria.com.

In connection with the presentation, Altria Group, Inc. reaffirmed its
previously stated forecast for 2005 full-year diluted earnings per share from
continuing operations (which excludes a $0.03 impact for Kraft's discontinued
operations) in a range of $4.95 to $5.05. This forecast assumes current foreign
exchange rates, a base income tax rate of 34.7% and approximately $0.12 per
share in charges associated with the continuing Kraft restructuring. However, it
does not include any tax benefits that could arise from the repatriation of
funds from its international businesses under provisions of the American Jobs
Creation Act, nor does it include any benefit from prior year accrued
contributions to the National Tobacco Growers Settlement Trust. In addition,
forecasted results do not include the impact of any possible acquisitions or
divestitures not previously announced.

In his review of the company's international tobacco business, Mr. Waldemer
said, "The environment will remain challenging in Western Europe. However, we
expect market declines to moderate and PMI enters this year in a much stronger
position than twelve months ago. We have excellent potential for further volume
and share growth in the rest of the world; we are very excited about the
increased opportunities resulting from the Marlboro license take-back in Japan;
our volume performance should be enhanced by Marlboro initiatives, continued L&M
expansion and the growth of our diversified international brand portfolio; and
we have several business development and acquisition opportunities."

"We expect organic volume growth of 2% to 3% this year," Mr. Waldemer said. "At
current exchange rates, PMI projects double-digit operating companies income
growth. In addition to favorable currency, this projection reflects higher
volumes, pricing, and productivity savings."

The factors described in the Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements section
of this release represent continuing risks to these projections.

Altria Group, Inc. Profile

Altria Group, Inc. is the parent company of Kraft Foods Inc., with approximately
85% ownership of outstanding Kraft common shares, Philip Morris International
Inc., Philip Morris USA Inc. and Philip Morris Capital Corporation. In addition,
Altria Group, Inc. has a 33.9% economic interest in SABMiller plc. The brand
portfolio of Altria Group, Inc.'s consumer packaged goods companies includes
such well-known names as Kraft, Jacobs, L&M, Marlboro, Maxwell House, Nabisco,
Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Parliament, Philadelphia, Post and Virginia Slims. Altria
Group, Inc. recorded 2004 net revenues of $89.6 billion.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

This press release contains projections of future results and other
forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties and
are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following important factors could cause
actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in such
forward-looking statements.

Altria Group, Inc.'s consumer products subsidiaries are subject to changing
prices for raw materials; intense price competition; changes in consumer
preferences and demand for their products; fluctuations in levels of customer
inventories; the effects of foreign economies and local economic and market
conditions; and unfavorable currency movements. Their results are dependent upon
their continued ability to promote brand equity successfully; to anticipate and
respond to new consumer trends; to develop new products and markets and to
broaden brand portfolios in order to compete effectively with lower-priced
products; to improve productivity; and to respond effectively to changing prices
for their raw materials.

Altria Group, Inc.'s tobacco subsidiaries (Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris
International) continue to be subject to litigation, including risks associated
with adverse jury and judicial determinations, courts reaching conclusions at
variance with the company's understanding of applicable law, bonding
requirements and the absence of adequate appellate remedies to get timely relief
from any of the foregoing; price disparities and changes in price disparities
between premium and lowest-price brands; legislation, including actual and
potential excise tax increases; increasing marketing and regulatory
restrictions; the effects of price increases related to excise tax increases and
concluded tobacco litigation settlements on consumption rates and consumer
preferences within price segments; health concerns relating to the use of
tobacco products and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; governmental
regulation; privately imposed smoking restrictions; and governmental and grand
jury investigations.

Altria Group, Inc.'s consumer products subsidiaries are subject to other risks
detailed from time to time in its publicly filed documents, including its Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2003 and its Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2004. Altria Group, Inc.
cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not complete and does
not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that it may make.

    CONTACT: Altria Group, Inc.
             Timothy R. Kellogg, 917/663-2759

Grafico Azioni Mincorp (LSE:MOP)
Storico
Da Mag 2024 a Giu 2024

Grafico Azioni Mincorp (LSE:MOP)
Storico
Da Giu 2023 a Giu 2024