Form 8-K - Current report

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FORM 8-K

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 23, 2024

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ALTRIA GROUP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Virginia

1-08940

13-3260245

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)



6601 West Broad Street,	Richmond,	Virginia	23230
(Address of principal executive offices)			(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (804) 274-2200

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:


☐			Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)


☐			Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)


☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))


☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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


Title of each class	Trading Symbols	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.33 1/3 par value	MO	New York Stock Exchange
1.700% Notes due 2025	MO25	New York Stock Exchange
2.200% Notes due 2027	MO27	New York Stock Exchange
3.125% Notes due 2031	MO31	New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).


Emerging growth company			☐

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. o

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On February 23, 2024, Jacinto J. Hernandez, a director of Altria Group, Inc. (“Altria”), notified Altria of his decision to retire from service on its Board of Directors effective immediately. In connection with his retirement, Altria and Mr. Hernandez entered into an agreement, pursuant to which Mr. Hernandez will provide strategic advisory services to Altria for a period of five years, and Altria will pay him an annual consulting fee of $300,000.

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

In connection with Mr. Hernandez’s decision to retire, Altria issued a press release on February 26, 2024, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference in this Item 7.01.

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. The information in this Item 7.01 shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing or document.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.


(d)	Exhibits

	99.1	Altria Group, Inc. Press Release, dated February 2 6 , 2024 (furnished under Item 7.01 )
	104	The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL (included as Exhibit 101)

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


			ALTRIA GROUP, INC.

			By:			/s/ W. HILDEBRANDT SURGNER, JR.
			Name:			W. Hildebrandt Surgner, Jr.
			Title:			Vice President, Corporate Secretary and
						Associate General Counsel

DATE: February 26, 2024

Exhibit 99.1

ALTRIA GROUP, INC. ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF DIRECTOR JACINTO J. HERNANDEZ FROM BOARD OF DIRECTORS

RICHMOND, Va. - February 26, 2024 – Jacinto J. Hernandez, a director of Altria Group, Inc. (“Altria”) retired from service on our Board of Directors effective February 23, 2024. Mr. Hernandez will continue to serve Altria as a strategic advisor under a 5-year advisory services agreement.

"We thank Jacinto for his service on our Board," said Kathryn McQuade, Altria’s independent Board Chair. “Our Board benefited from his industry experience and financial expertise.”

“I joined Altria’s Board because I am inspired by Altria’s Vision to responsibly lead the transition of adult smokers to a smoke-free future,” said Mr. Hernandez. “I am pleased that this agreement will allow me to focus my attention on helping Altria pursue its Vision working directly with management.”

Mr. Hernandez is founder and principal of Cummings Consulting & Management. He previously served as a partner and investment analyst for Capital Group and its subsidiary, Capital World Investors. He joined the Capital Group companies in August 2000 and retired in June 2022 after having spent 22 years covering a variety of industries, including U.S. tobacco, helping lead the research portfolio for one of the largest growth mutual funds in the world and serving in key leadership roles. Mr. Hernandez is a director of Aris Water Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: ARIS). He previously served as a director of Pioneer Natural Resources Company (2022 to May 2023) (NYSE: PXD).

Altria’s Profile

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 Smoking™, 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 leading manufacturers of both combustible and smoke-free products. In combustibles, we own Philip Morris USA Inc. (PM USA), the most profitable U.S. cigarette manufacturer, and John Middleton Co. (Middleton), a leading U.S. cigar manufacturer. Our smoke-free portfolio includes ownership of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (USSTC), the leading global moist smokeless tobacco (MST) manufacturer, Helix Innovations LLC (Helix), a

6601 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230

leading manufacturer of oral nicotine pouches, and NJOY, LLC (NJOY), 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.

Additionally, we have a majority-owned joint venture, Horizon Innovations LLC (Horizon), for the U.S. marketing and commercialization of heated tobacco stick products and, through a separate agreement, we have the exclusive U.S. commercialization rights to the IQOS Tobacco Heating System® and Marlboro HeatSticks® through April 2024.

Our equity investments include Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (ABI), the world’s largest brewer, and Cronos Group Inc. (Cronos), a leading Canadian cannabinoid company.

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

Learn more about Altria at www.altria.com and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn.

Source: Altria Group, Inc.

Investor Relations

Altria Client Services

(804) 484-8222

Media Relations

Altria Client Services

(804) 484-8897

Cover Page Cover Page	Feb. 23, 2024
Entity Information [Line Items]
Document Type	8-K
Document Period End Date	Feb. 23, 2024
Entity Registrant Name	ALTRIA GROUP, INC.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	VA
Entity File Number	1-08940
Entity Tax Identification Number	13-3260245
Entity Address, Address Line One	6601 West Broad Street,
Entity Address, City or Town	Richmond,
Entity Address, State or Province	VA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	23230
City Area Code	804
Local Phone Number	274-2200
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Central Index Key	0000764180
Common Stock, $0.33 1/3 par value
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $0.33 1/3 par value
Trading Symbol	MO
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
1.700% Notes due 2025
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	1.700% Notes due 2025
Trading Symbol	MO25
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
2.200% Notes due 2027
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	2.200% Notes due 2027
Trading Symbol	MO27
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
3.125% Notes due 2031
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	3.125% Notes due 2031
Trading Symbol	MO31
Security Exchange Name	NYSE