Philip Morris International

Philip Morris International (PMI) (NYSE|PM) is an international tobacco company, with products sold in over 160 countries. In 2007, it held a 15.6% share of the international cigarette market outside of the USA and reported revenues net of excise taxes of $22.8 billion and operating income of $8.9 billionFact|date=July 2008.

Until a spin-off in March 2008, Philip Morris International was an operating company of Altria Group. It had its first day of trading on NYSE Euronext’s New York and Paris markets following its spin-off from Altria Group, Inc. as per March 31, 2008 [http://www.nyse.com/events/1206440262533.html] . In its first quarter of operations as a separately owned and traded entity from Altria, PMI had sales revenue of $15.6 billion and net earnings of $1.86 billion as compared with $13.2 and $1.45 billion respectively for the first quarter in 2007. []

With its Operations Center based in Lausanne, Switzerland, it owns 7 of the top 15 brands in the worldFact|date=July 2008 and has a mix of international and local products, which are produced in more than 50 factories around the world. Operating only outside the USA, it has 68 offices and employs over 75,000 peopleFact|date=July 2008.

Its main brands are Marlboro, Longbeach, L&M, Philip Morris, Bond Street, Chesterfield, Parliament, Lark, A-Mild, Morven Gold, DJI Sam Soe and Virginia Slims.

=Board of Directors [ [http://investors.philipmorrisinternational.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=146476&p=irol-govboard Philip Morris International Board of Directors] ] =

*Harold Brown
*Mathis Cabiallavetta
*Louis C. Camilleri - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
*J. Dudley Fishburn
*Graham Mackay
*Sergio Marchionne
*Lucio A. Noto
*Carlos Slim Helú
*Stephen Wolf

History

Founded in the 19th century, Philip Morris has grown into a worldwide organisation; today Philip Morris International alone employs more than 80,000 people.

1954: Philip Morris (Australia) becomes first affiliate of Philip Morris Companies Inc. outside of the U.S.

1955: Philip Morris Overseas is established as an international division.

1957: The first Marlboro cigarettes manufactured outside the U.S. are produced following an agreement with Fabriques de Tabac Réunies in Switzerland.

1963: Fabriques de Tabac Réunies in Switzerland acquired by Philip Morris.

1967: Philip Morris Incorporated establishes Philip Morris Domestic, Philip Morris International (PMI) and Philip Morris Industrial, each responsible for three identifiable operations of its business.

1972: Marlboro becomes the world’s number one selling cigarette.

1972: Volume reaches 113 billion units as international expansion accelerates.

1972: License agreement with Japan Tobacco to begin manufacture of Marlboro in Japan.

1973: International cigarette sales reach 124 billion units, versus 123 billion in the USA.

1977: Licensingtorg, representing the Soviet tobacco Industry, and Philip Morris International sign agreement for local production of Philip Morris International brands.

1980: Philip Morris International opens its largest factory outside the U.S. in Bergen op Zoom in the Netherlands - today this factory is still PMI’s largest factory.

1987: Philip Morris International is incorporated as an operating company of Philip Morris Companies Inc..

1989: Philip Morris International operating income tops US$1 billion for the first time.

1990: Philip Morris International moves from Park Avenue in NYC to Rye Brook, NY, USA.

1991: Philip Morris International volume tops 400 billion cigarettes.

1992: Philip Morris International acquires a majority holding in state-owned Czech Republic Tabak AS for US$420 million in the largest single investment by a U.S. company in central Europe at the time.

In the early 1990’s Philip Morris International participates in other state factory privatizations including in Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Hungary.

1995: Philip Morris International opens first factory in Asia in Seremban, Malaysia.

2000: Philip Morris International calls for regulation of the tobacco industry at the World Health Organization’s public hearings on the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control in Geneva, Switzerland.

2001: Philip Morris International Operations Center transfers from Rye Brook, NY, USA, to Lausanne, Switzerland.

2002: Philip Morris International operating income reaches US$5.7 billion, a more than hundredfold increase on 1970.

2003: Philip Morris International opens factory in the Philippines, PMI’s largest investment in Asia at the time.

2003: Philip Morris International’s product sales represent almost 14% of the global cigarette market outside of the USA

2003: Philip Morris International acquires majority stake in Papastratos Cigarette Manufacturing S.A., the largest cigarette manufacturer and distributor in Greece.

2003: Philip Morris International acquires 74.22% of DIN Fabrika Duvana AD Nis in Serbia, as of December 2007 this holding was more than 80%.

2004: Philip Morris International re-enters the market in South Africa from which it withdrew in 1986 because of the apartheid regime.

2005: In May Philip Morris International acquires Coltabaco, the largest tobacco company in Colombia, for a cost of $300 million.

2005: In the same month Philip Morris International acquires 98% of the shares of PT HM Sampoerna Tbk, the largest Indonesian tobacco company, for $ 4.8 billion.

2005: Philip Morris International takes back license for Marlboro in Japan from JTI

2005: In December Philip Morris International announces an agreement with the China National Tobacco Company (CNTC) for the licensed production of Marlboro China and the establishment of an international equity joint venture outside of China.

2006: In the fourth quarter of 2006, Philip Morris International purchased from British American Tobacco the Muratti and Ambassador trademarks in certain markets, as well as the rights to L&M and Chesterfield in Hong Kong, in exchange for the rights to Benson & Hedges in certain African markets and a payment of $115 million.

2006: In November 2006, Philip Morris International exchanged its 47.5% interest in E. León Jimenes, C. por. A., or ELJ, which included a 40% indirect interest in ELJ’s beer subsidiary, for 100% ownership of ELJ’s cigarette subsidiary, Industria de Tabaco León Jimenes, S.A., or ITLJ, and $427 million of cash. As a result of the transaction, Philip Morris International now owns 100% of the cigarette business and no longer hold an interest in ELJ’s beer business. The exchange

2006: Year-end volume stands at 831.4 billion, operating income at US$8.4 billion and global market share at 15.4%

2007: Philip Morris International acquires an additional 50.2% stake in Lakson Tobacco Company, Pakistan, bringing its total holding to approximately 98%.

2007: In November Philip Morris International acquired an additional 30% stake in the Mexican tobacco business from Grupo Carso, S.A.B. de C.V., or Grupo Carso, which increased its ownership interest to 80%, for $1.1 billion. After this transaction was completed, Grupo Carso retained a 20% stake in the business. Philip Morris International also entered into an agreement with Grupo Carso which provides the basis to potentially acquire, or for Grupo Carso to potentially sell to us, Grupo Carso’s remaining 20% in the future.

2007: Year-end volume stands at 850 billion, operating income at US$8.9 billion and global market share at 15.6%

2008: Philip Morris International spins off from Altria, becoming the world's leading international tobacco company and the third most profitable international consumer goods companyFact|date=July 2008

ee also

*Altria Group
*Philip Morris USA

References

External links

* [http://www.philipmorrisinternational.com Official website]
*