Altria and JUUL sign service agreements to
accelerate JUUL’s success switching adult smokers; JUUL has the
unique opportunity to reach adult smokers through prime retail
shelf space, inserts in cigarette packs and adult smoker
database
JUUL will remain fully independent
Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) (NYSE:MO) today announces it signed
and closed a $12.8 billion investment in JUUL Labs, Inc. (JUUL),
the U.S. leader in e-vapor. The service agreements will accelerate
JUUL’s mission to switch adult smokers to e-vapor products.
Altria’s investment represents a 35% economic interest in JUUL,
valuing the company at $38 billion. JUUL will remain fully
independent.
“We are taking significant action to prepare for a future where
adult smokers overwhelmingly choose non-combustible products over
cigarettes by investing $12.8 billion in JUUL, a world leader in
switching adult smokers,” said Howard Willard, Altria’s Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer. “We have long said that providing
adult smokers with superior, satisfying products with the potential
to reduce harm is the best way to achieve tobacco harm reduction.
Through JUUL, we are making the biggest investment in our history
toward that goal. We strongly believe that working with JUUL to
accelerate its mission will have long-term benefits for adult
smokers and our shareholders.”
“Altria’s investment sends a very clear message that JUUL’s
technology has given us a truly historic opportunity to improve the
lives of the world’s one billion adult cigarette smokers,” said
Kevin Burns, Chief Executive Officer of JUUL. “This investment and
the service agreements will accelerate our mission to increase the
number of adult smokers who switch from combustible cigarettes to
JUUL devices.”
JUUL will remain fully independent and will have access to
Altria’s best-in-class infrastructure and services. As part of the
service agreements:
- Altria will provide JUUL access to its premier innovative
tobacco products retail shelf space, allowing JUUL’s tobacco and
menthol-based products to appear alongside combustible cigarettes.
JUUL’s flavored products will continue to only be available on
JUUL.com.
- Altria will enable JUUL to reach adult smokers with direct
communications through cigarette pack inserts and mailings to adult
smokers via Altria companies’ databases.
- Altria will apply its logistics and distribution experience to
help JUUL expand its reach and efficiency and JUUL will have the
option to be supported by Altria’s sales organization, which covers
approximately 230,000 retail locations.
An Extraordinary E-vapor Company with a
Strong Product Pipeline
Fueled by its unique and innovative Silicon Valley approach to
product development and founded by former smokers, JUUL has rapidly
built an industry-leading position by satisfying adult tobacco
consumers with its differentiated e-vapor products.
JUUL has quickly grown both revenue and share, and today
represents approximately 30% of the total U.S. e-vapor category.1
JUUL has a deep innovation pipeline and currently operates in eight
countries, with rapid international expansion plans.
“This is a unique and compelling opportunity to invest in an
extraordinary company, the fastest growing in the U.S. e-vapor
category. We are excited to support JUUL’s highly-talented team and
offer our best-in- class services to build on their tremendous
success,” added Willard.
Advances Altria’s Long-Term Tobacco Harm
Reduction Goal
In 2000, Altria became the first and only company in the
industry to support FDA regulation of tobacco products, an
important step to providing accurate and scientifically-grounded
communications about reduced-risk products to smokers.
Today, the FDA has regulatory authority over all tobacco
products, and the FDA distinguishes between the harm associated
with combustible versus non-combustible products.
Altria will participate in the e-vapor category only through
JUUL. The investment complements Altria’s non-combustible offerings
in smokeless and heat-not-burn, upon FDA authorization of IQOS.
Commitment to Underage Tobacco
Prevention
Altria and JUUL are committed to preventing youth from using any
tobacco products. As recent studies have made clear, youth vaping
is a serious problem, which both Altria and JUUL are committed to
solve. As JUUL previously said, “Our intent was never to have youth
use JUUL products. But intent is not enough, the numbers are what
matter, and the numbers tell us underage use of e-cigarette
products is a problem.”
As a result, JUUL recently began implementing a number of
actions to prevent underage vaping, including stopping the sales of
flavored products to retail stores, enhancing age-verification for
its online sales, eliminating social media accounts and developing
further technology solutions.
JUUL believes that it cannot fulfill its mission to provide the
world’s one billion adult smokers with a true alternative to
combustible cigarettes if youth use continues unabated. Together,
JUUL and Altria will work to prevent youth usage through their
announced initiatives, further technological developments and
increased advocacy for raising the minimum age of purchase for all
tobacco products to 21.
Positioning Altria for Long-Term
Growth
Building on Altria’s previously announced growth investment in
Cronos Group Inc. (Cronos Group), Altria believes its investment in
JUUL strengthens its financial profile and enhances future growth
prospects.
Altria continues to position its business to return value for
shareholders over the long-term through earnings growth and
dividends. Altria expects its growth to be driven by maximizing
income from its wholly-owned operating companies and increasing
contributions from its equity and strategic investments. Altria’s
service companies will contribute their strong capabilities to
enhance value creation in both its wholly-owned subsidiaries and,
when appropriate, its investments.
Strategic Rationale
- Provides significant stake in the largest and fastest growing
e-vapor company with a highly-talented management team, successful
in-market products and strong innovation pipeline.
- JUUL will remain independent and retain complete operational
autonomy to capitalize on its entrepreneurial success.
- Provides exposure to strong revenue and volume growth
opportunity with attractive unit economics.
- Investment in the leading U.S. e-vapor company complements
Altria’s non-combustible product portfolio.
- Exposure to significant international growth plans and global
e-vapor profit pool.
- Better positions Altria with adult smokers interested in
alternatives while continuing to compete vigorously in all other
tobacco product markets.
Key Transaction Terms
- Altria signed and closed an agreement with JUUL, the U.S.
leader in e-vapor, to invest $12.8 billion in cash for non-voting
convertible common shares of JUUL, representing 35% of JUUL’s
outstanding capital stock as of the closing date.
- As part of this investment, JUUL signed service agreements with
Altria to accelerate its mission to switch adult smokers. Proceeds
will be used to return capital to employees and shareholders and
create a fortified $1 billion balance sheet to expedite product
development and market access.
- Upon antitrust clearance, Altria’s 35% non-voting shares will
automatically convert to 35% voting shares, and Altria will be able
to appoint directors representing one-third of JUUL’s Board of
Directors.
- Altria receives a broad pre-emptive right to purchase shares to
maintain its ownership percentage.
- Altria will be subject to a standstill agreement under which it
may not acquire additional JUUL shares above its 35% interest.
Altria agrees not to sell or transfer any JUUL common shares for
six years from closing.
- Altria will participate in the e-vapor business only through
JUUL as long as Altria is supplying JUUL services, which Altria is
committed to doing for at least six years.
A copy of the Purchase Agreement will be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form 8-K.
Financing
Altria financed the JUUL stock purchase through a $14.6 billion
term loan facility arranged by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. $1.8
billion of the facility remains undrawn and may be used by Altria
to finance its recently announced investment in Cronos Group.
Altria may consider seeking permanent financing in the future.
Financial Implications
Accounting Treatment
Altria will initially account for its JUUL investment as an
investment in an equity security. Upon antitrust clearance, Altria
expects to account for its investment in JUUL under the equity
method of accounting.
Cost Reduction Program
Altria also announces today a cost reduction program designed to
deliver approximately $500 million to $600 million in annualized
cost savings by the end of 2019. This program will include, among
other things, reducing third-party spending across the business and
workforce reductions. Altria expects this program to offset most of
the interest expense associated with the debt incurred to finance
the JUUL and Cronos Group investments.
Altria estimates total pre-tax restructuring charges in
connection with the cost reduction program to be in a range of
approximately $230 million to $280 million, or $0.09 per share to
$0.11 per share, the majority of which is expected to be recorded
in the fourth quarter of 2018. The estimated charges, substantially
all of which will result in cash expenditures, relate primarily to
employee separation costs of approximately $190 million to $220
million and other costs of approximately $40 million to $60
million.
The estimated charges do not reflect the non-cash impact that
may result from pension settlement and curtailment accounting.
2018 Full-Year Guidance
Altria reaffirms its guidance for 2018 full-year adjusted
diluted earnings per share (EPS) to be in a range of $3.95 to
$4.03, representing a growth rate of 16.5% to 19% from an adjusted
diluted EPS base of $3.39 in 2017 as shown in Schedule 1. This
guidance range excludes the special items for the first nine months
of 2018 shown in Schedule 1, as well as fourth-quarter 2018
estimated charges of approximately $0.23 per share to $0.25 per
share. Substantially all of the fourth quarter 2018 estimated
charges relate to asset impairment and exit costs for the
previously announced discontinuation of Nu Mark’s e-vapor products
and market removal of its pod-based products, restructuring charges
for the cost reduction program, and acquisition-related costs
associated with the investment in JUUL.
Altria’s full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance excludes the
impact of certain income and expense items that management believes
are not part of underlying operations. These items may include, for
example, loss on early extinguishment of debt, restructuring
charges, gain/loss on AB InBev/SABMiller plc (SABMiller) business
combination, AB InBev special items, certain tax items, charges
associated with tobacco and health litigation items, and
resolutions of certain non-participating manufacturer (NPM)
adjustment disputes under the Master Settlement Agreement (such
dispute resolutions are referred to as NPM Adjustment Items).
Altria’s management cannot estimate on a forward-looking basis
the impact of certain income and expense items, including those
items noted in the preceding paragraph, on its reported diluted EPS
because these items, which could be significant, may be infrequent,
are difficult to predict and may be highly variable. As a result,
Altria does not provide a corresponding U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles (GAAP) measure for, or reconciliation to, its
adjusted diluted EPS guidance.
The factors described in the “Forward-Looking and Cautionary
Statements” section of this release represent continuing risks to
Altria’s forecast.
Long-term Financial Goals
Altria expects to provide its 2019 full-year earnings guidance
in January with its 2018 fourth-quarter earnings release, though
Altria currently expects 2019 adjusted diluted EPS guidance to be
slightly below the low end of its long-term 7% to 9% adjusted
diluted EPS growth aspiration as a result of the debt incurred in
connection with its investments in JUUL and Cronos Group.
Altria maintains its long-term financial goals to grow adjusted
diluted EPS at an average annual rate of 7% to 9% and to maintain a
dividend payout ratio target of approximately 80% of adjusted
diluted EPS.
Advisors
Perella Weinberg Partners LP and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are
the financial advisors to Altria. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen &
Katz is providing legal counsel to Altria for the deal. Hunton
Andrews Kurth LLP is providing legal counsel to Altria regarding
the financing.
Goldman Sachs is the financial advisor to JUUL. Pillsbury,
Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman and Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton
are providing legal counsel to JUUL.
Conference Call
A conference call with the investment community and news media
hosted by Howard Willard and other members of Altria’s senior
leadership team will be webcast at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on
Thursday, December 20, 2018.
Access to the webcast is available at www.altria.com/webcasts
and via the Altria Investor app.
Altria's Profile
Altria’s wholly-owned subsidiaries include Philip Morris USA
Inc. (PM USA), U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (USSTC), John
Middleton Co. (Middleton), Sherman Group Holdings, LLC and its
subsidiaries (Nat Sherman), Nu Mark LLC (Nu Mark), Ste. Michelle
Wine Estates Ltd. (Ste. Michelle) and Philip Morris Capital
Corporation (PMCC). Altria holds an equity investment in
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (AB InBev).
The brand portfolios of Altria’s tobacco operating companies
include Marlboro®, Black & Mild®,
Copenhagen® and Skoal®. Ste. Michelle produces and
markets premium wines sold under various labels, including Chateau
Ste. Michelle®, Columbia Crest®, 14 Hands® and
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars™, and it imports and markets
Antinori®, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte™, Torres® and
Villa Maria Estate™ products in the United States. Trademarks and
service marks related to Altria referenced in this release are the
property of Altria or its subsidiaries or are used with permission.
More information about Altria is available at altria.com and on the
Altria Investor app.
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
This 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.
Important factors that may cause actual results and outcomes to
differ materially from those contained in such forward-looking
statements include, without limitation, the possibility that
regulatory approvals required for the conversion of the shares into
voting shares may not be obtained in a timely manner, if at all;
and that such approvals may be subject to unanticipated conditions.
Other important factors include the possibility that the expected
benefits of the transaction may not materialize in the expected
manner or timeframe, if at all; the potential inaccuracy of the
financial projections (including, without limitation, projections
relating to JUUL’s domestic growth and international expansion);
prevailing economic, market, regulatory or business conditions, or
changes in such conditions, negatively affecting the parties; the
risk that Altria is not able to secure permanent financing for the
transaction on favorable terms, if at all, and the risk of a
downgrade in Altria’s credit ratings; risks that the transaction
disrupts JUUL’s current plans and operations; the fact that
Altria’s reported earnings and financial position and any future
dividends paid by JUUL on shares owned by Altria may be adversely
affected by tax and other factors, including the risks encountered
(including, without limitation, regulatory and litigation risks)
and decisions made by JUUL in its business; risks related to the
investment disrupting Altria, JUUL or their respective management;
and risks relating to the effect of announcement of the transaction
on JUUL’s ability to retain and hire key personnel or on its
relationships with customers, suppliers and other third
parties.
Other important factors that may cause actual results and
outcomes to differ materially from those contained in the
projections and forward-looking statements included in this press
release are described in Altria’s publicly filed reports, including
its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017
and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended
September 30, 2018. These factors include the following:
significant competition; changes in adult consumer preferences and
demand for Altria’s operating companies’ products; fluctuations in
raw material availability, quality and price; reliance on key
facilities and suppliers; reliance on critical information systems,
many of which are managed by third-party service providers;
fluctuations in levels of customer inventories; the effects of
global, national and local economic and market conditions; changes
to income tax laws; federal, state and local legislative activity,
including actual and potential federal and state excise tax
increases; increasing marketing and regulatory restrictions; the
effects of price increases related to excise tax increases and
concluded tobacco litigation settlements, consumption rates and
consumer preferences within price segments; health concerns
relating to the use of tobacco products and exposure to
environmental tobacco smoke; privately imposed smoking
restrictions; and, from time to time, governmental
investigations.
Furthermore, the results of Altria’s tobacco businesses are
dependent upon their continued ability to promote brand equity
successfully; to anticipate and respond to evolving adult consumer
preferences; to develop, manufacture, market and distribute
products that appeal to adult tobacco consumers (including, where
appropriate, through arrangements with, and investments in, third
parties); to improve productivity; and to protect or enhance
margins through cost savings and price increases.
Altria and its tobacco businesses are also subject to federal,
state and local government regulation, including by the FDA. Altria
and its subsidiaries continue to be subject to litigation,
including risks associated with adverse jury and judicial
determinations, courts reaching conclusions at variance with the
companies’ understanding of applicable law, bonding requirements in
the limited number of jurisdictions that do not limit the dollar
amount of appeal bonds and certain challenges to bond cap
statutes.
In addition, the factors related to Altria’s investment in AB
InBev include the following: the risk that Altria’s equity
securities in AB InBev are subject to restrictions on transfer
until October 10, 2021; the risk that Altria’s reported earnings
from and carrying value of its equity investment in AB InBev and
the dividends paid by AB InBev on shares owned by Altria may be
adversely affected by unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates
and other factors, including the risks encountered by AB InBev in
its business; the risk that the tax treatment of Altria’s
transaction consideration from the AB InBev/SABMiller business
combination and the accounting treatment of its equity investment
are not guaranteed; and the risk that the tax treatment of Altria’s
investment in AB InBev may not be as favorable as Altria
anticipates.
Altria 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 except as required by applicable law.
All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements
attributable to Altria or any person acting on its behalf are
expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements
referenced above.
Schedule 1
ALTRIA GROUP, INC.
and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of GAAP and
non-GAAP Measures
(dollars in millions, except per
share data)
(Unaudited)
Reconciliation of Altria’s
First Nine Months of 2018 Adjusted Results
Earnings before Income
Taxes
Provision for Income
Taxes
Net Earnings
Net Earnings Attributable to
Altria
Diluted EPS
For the nine months ended September 30,
2018
2018 Reported
$
7,631
$
1,915
$
5,716
$
5,713
$
3.02
NPM Adjustment Items
(145
)
(36
)
(109
)
(109
)
(0.06
)
Tobacco and health litigation items
119
30
89
89
0.05
AB InBev special items
(154
)
(32
)
(122
)
(122
)
(0.06
)
Asset impairment, exit and
implementation costs
6
1
5
5
—
Loss on AB InBev/SABMiller
business combination
33
7
26
26
0.01
Tax items
—
(152
)
152
152
0.08
2018 Adjusted for Special Items
$
7,490
$
1,733
$
5,757
$
5,754
$
3.04
Reconciliation of Altria’s
Full-Year 2017 Adjusted Results
Earnings before Income
Taxes
(Benefit) Provision for Income
Taxes
Net Earnings
Net Earnings Attributable to
Altria
Diluted EPS
For the year ended December 31,
2017
2017 Reported
$
9,828
$
(399
)
$
10,227
$
10,222
$
5.31
NPM Adjustment Items
4
2
2
2
—
Tobacco and health litigation items
80
30
50
50
0.03
AB InBev special items
160
55
105
105
0.05
Asset impairment, exit, implementation
and
acquisition-related costs
89
34
55
55
0.03
Gain on AB InBev/SABMiller business
combination
(445
)
(156
)
(289
)
(289
)
(0.15
)
Settlement charge for lump sum pension
payments
81
32
49
49
0.03
Tax items
—
3,674
(3,674
)
(3,674
)
(1.91
)
2017 Adjusted for Special Items
$
9,797
$
3,272
$
6,525
$
6,520
$
3.39
Altria reports its financial results in accordance with GAAP.
Altria’s management reviews certain financial results, including
diluted EPS, on an adjusted basis, which excludes certain income
and expense items, including those items noted under “2018
Full-Year Guidance.” Altria’s management does not view any of these
special items to be part of Altria’s underlying results as they may
be highly variable, may be infrequent, are difficult to predict and
can distort underlying business trends and results. Altria’s
management believes that adjusted financial measures provide useful
additional insight into underlying business trends and results and
provide a more meaningful comparison of year-over-year results.
Altria’s management uses adjusted financial measures for planning,
forecasting and evaluating business and financial performance,
including allocating resources and evaluating results relative to
employee compensation targets. These adjusted financial measures
are not consistent with GAAP and may not be calculated the same as
similarly titled measures used by other companies. These adjusted
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.
_________________________
1 Includes open- and closed-systems across all trade channels;
Source: Altria Client Services estimate
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