BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Star Scientific Seeks New FDA Designation]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/01/04/star-scientific-seeks-new-fda-designation/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/01/04/star-scientific-seeks-new-fda-designation/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/01/04/star-scientific-seeks-new-fda-designation/#commentsFiled under:

Star ScientificReportedly, Virginia-based tobacco maker Star Scientific (CIGX) is going to ask the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval to sell a new tobacco product as safer than any competing product.

The company sells tobacco lozenges that dissolve in the mouth and the company says that it has lower levels of cancer-causing chemicals than any other tobacco product currently on the market. Star Scientific says that the "modified-risk" label that the FDA is developing should be on the new lozenge (Stonewall Moist) because the product contains 90% to 99% less tobacco-specific carcinogens than other smokeless tobacco products.

Continue reading Star Scientific Seeks New FDA Designation

Star Scientific Seeks New FDA Designation originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CIGXinthenewssmokeless tobaccoStar Scientifictobaccotobacco industryTue, 04 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Altria Shoots to New 52-Week High]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/11/04/altria-shoots-to-new-52-week-high/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/11/04/altria-shoots-to-new-52-week-high/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/11/04/altria-shoots-to-new-52-week-high/#commentsFiled under: , ,

AltriaAltria (MO - option chain) shares are rising to a new 52-week high today of $26.15, up more than 20% from the stock's summer low. Altria has been moving steadily higher for the past four months, hitting new yearly highs with great frequency during that time. If you purchased MO in late June, the stock boasted a 7% annual yield, which has decreased as the stock price advanced. However, the company boosted its dividend recently to 0.38 per quarter, which at today's stock price is still good for 5.8% annually. To lift that adjusted dividend rate even higher, consider a hedged trade on MO where you can lower your basis by selling options.

MO opened this morning at $25.93. So far today the stock has hit a low of $25.83 and a high of $26.15. As of 12:15, MO is trading at $26.10 up 0.34 (1.3%). The chart for MO looks bullish and S&P gives MO a positive 5 STARS (out of 5) strong buy ranking.

Continue reading Altria Shoots to New 52-Week High

Altria Shoots to New 52-Week High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>52-week highAltriacovered calldividendinthenewsInvestors ObserverMOoptionstobaccoThu, 04 Nov 2010 12:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Cigarette Company Finds Money in Art]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/03/09/cigarette-company-finds-money-in-art/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/03/09/cigarette-company-finds-money-in-art/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/03/09/cigarette-company-finds-money-in-art/#commentsFiled under:

The second largest cigarette maker in the world is making some waves in the art market. British American Tobacco (BTI) sold several paintings last night at a Sotheby's (BID) auction in the Netherlands, picking up $18.5 million last night. This contributed to a record night for the auction firm's Netherlands office.

Previously known as the Peter Stuyvesant Collection, the BATartventure Collection includes more than 1,400 pieces and doubled the upper end of its presale estimate, yet another sign that strength is returning to the art market this year - after a year and a half of agony.

Continue reading Cigarette Company Finds Money in Art

Cigarette Company Finds Money in Art originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artart auctionart marketartworkbidbritish american tobaccobticigarettesothebystobaccotobacco industryTue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cuban Cigar Sales Fall Again ... and Faster]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/02/24/cuban-cigar-sales-fall-again-and-faster/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/02/24/cuban-cigar-sales-fall-again-and-faster/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/02/24/cuban-cigar-sales-fall-again-and-faster/#commentsCuban cigar sales are off yet again, and there's plenty of blame to go around. Global economic conditions have constrained consumer spending, and smoking bans worldwide have made it harder to find a place to light up.

The quality issue can't be ignored, as well, with many cigar smokers finding that a Cuban cigar just isn't what it used to be.

Habanos S.A., the government-run company behind the Cuban cigar industry, has reported a substantial decline in sales for the second year in a row. In 2009, the company's top line fell 8% to $360 million, which came after a 3% drop to $390 milion from 2007 to 2008.

Continue reading Cuban Cigar Sales Fall Again ... and Faster

Cuban Cigar Sales Fall Again ... and Faster originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cigarcigarscubacubancuban cigarsCubanCigarsfeaturedhabanostobaccotobacco industryTobaccoIndustryWed, 24 Feb 2010 13:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Flavored cigarettes off the shelves]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/09/23/flavored-cigarettes-off-the-shelves/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/09/23/flavored-cigarettes-off-the-shelves/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/09/23/flavored-cigarettes-off-the-shelves/#commentsFiled under:

As of Tuesday, you'll have to cross a border to buy a clove. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's ban on flavored cigarettes went into effect and prohibits the sale of candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes. Authorized under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, the measure is intended to reduce the number of children who take up the habit.

Under the new ban, cigarettes that include "an artificial or natural flavor (other than menthol) or an herb or spice" cannot be sold in the United States. The long, but not exhaustive list of flavors, consists of strawberry, grape, orange, clove, cinnamon, pineapple, vanilla, coconut, licorice, cocoa, chocolate, cherry and coffee.

Continue reading Flavored cigarettes off the shelves

Flavored cigarettes off the shelves originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altriacigarette banCigaretteBancigarettesfeaturedflavored cigarsFlavoredCigarslolorillardmophilip morrisPhilipMorrissmokingtobaccoWed, 23 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Most Californians clamor for a tobacco tax increase ]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/08/most-californians-clamor-for-a-tobacco-tax-increase/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/08/most-californians-clamor-for-a-tobacco-tax-increase/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/08/most-californians-clamor-for-a-tobacco-tax-increase/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ahhh ... California. Home of the Beach Boys, Napa Valley, and, just recently, IOUs. Indeed, the Golden State is in dire financial straits, and looking for any way out. One suggestion? Tax the smokers. A recent poll of state voters shows 70% in favor of a $1.50-per-pack increase in the state cigarette tax.

Breaking down the numbers across party lines, 78% of Democrats, 75% of independents, and 65% of Republicans approve of such a measure. But Republican leadership remains opposed to the idea. A spokeswoman told reporters "Tax increases aren't the answer. Neither is tying programs with increasing costs to a tax source that is declining."

Continue reading Most Californians clamor for a tobacco tax increase

Most Californians clamor for a tobacco tax increase originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>californiainthenewsioustobaccotobacco taxTobaccoTaxWed, 08 Jul 2009 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Harvard report says Menthol used to lure smokers into habit]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/07/17/harvard-report-says-menthol-used-to-lure-smokers-into-habit/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/07/17/harvard-report-says-menthol-used-to-lure-smokers-into-habit/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/07/17/harvard-report-says-menthol-used-to-lure-smokers-into-habit/#commentsFiled under:

A Harvard report was release this week that again is setting the tobacco world on fire. Well, at least figuratively. In the report, the compound Menthol was the focus, and it was concluded that by varying the amount of it in certain brands of cigarettes, tobacco companies could recruit and keep younger smokers and those who may have had an initial bad reaction to smoking upon starting the habit.

The strategy was to "lock in lifelong adult smokers," said the researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. After all the past shenanigans that the tobacco industry has admitted to, it's not surprising to hear that using a varying chemical level strategy to recruit smokers and get them hooked was tried. It was found that milder cigarette brand with lower menthol levels were more appealing to younger smokers. hence, these products were marketed to that age group as a result, according to the report.

One particular example cited was the strategy Philip-Morris USA used when it introduced "Marlboro Milds" back in 2000. The product instantly became a hit with younger smokers was responsible for almost 80% of the menthol product category sales for the company that year.

Continue reading Harvard report says Menthol used to lure smokers into habit

Harvard report says Menthol used to lure smokers into habit originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>inthenewsLorillardMentholnicotineRJ ReynoldsRjReynoldsSmokerSmokingtobaccoThu, 17 Jul 2008 11:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Altria's (MO) international unit to go out on its own]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/29/altrias-mo-international-unit-to-go-out-on-its-own/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/29/altrias-mo-international-unit-to-go-out-on-its-own/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/29/altrias-mo-international-unit-to-go-out-on-its-own/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Wall Street has speculated for some time that Altria's (NYSE: MO) international units will be spun-off from its domestic tobacco operations. The company's board believes that this will allow overseas operations to work without the baggage of regulations and lawsuits that the firm faces in the US.

According to The Wall Street Journal, "the separate entity, for example, would be exempt from US tobacco regulations and out of reach of American litigators. Importantly, its practices would no longer be constrained by American public opinion, paving the way for broad product experimentation." Put another way, the international operations will be able to make stronger, and perhaps more dangerous tobacco products, for large markets in Europe and Asia.

China will be a major target for the new public company to be called PMI. Other large markets the company will focus on include Indonesia and Pakistan.

The Altria international operations are about four times as large as those in the US. That alone may make the case for the company to be independent.

But, at the end of the day, the name of the game is selling much stronger cigarettes to people who want them in markets where regulation is lax. A good way to make money, but bad for the lungs.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Altria's (MO) international unit to go out on its own originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altriainthenewsmophilip morrisPhilipMorrissmokerssmokingtobaccoTue, 29 Jan 2008 08:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Don't confuse conglomerate Loews (LTR) with that other company]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/16/dont-confuse-conglomerate-loews-ltr-with-that-other-company/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/16/dont-confuse-conglomerate-loews-ltr-with-that-other-company/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/16/dont-confuse-conglomerate-loews-ltr-with-that-other-company/#commentsFiled under:

Loews Corporation logo It goes without saying that diversification is one defense against the onset of a bear market. Further, occasionally the market offers a conglomerate that possesses many of the characteristics of a diversified mutual fund or portfolio, and with the above in mind, Loews is worth a review.

Loews (NYSE: LTR) is a holding company with operations that include property / casualty insurance, hotels, offshore oil/gas drilling, natural gas pipelines, and cigarettes. Don't confuse LTR with that other company with a similar-sounding name: LTR is a conglomerate.

Analysts really like LTR's Diamond Offshore deepwater/midwater oil rig operations, which, as one might sense, are experiencing strong demand and pricing power, given the global drive for more oil. Analysts are equally impressed by LTR's natural gas pipeline business.

Continue reading Don't confuse conglomerate Loews (LTR) with that other company

Don't confuse conglomerate Loews (LTR) with that other company originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conglomerateshotelsLoewsLTRnatural gas servicesoiltobaccoWed, 16 Jan 2008 17:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Is it right to raise the tax on cigarettes? You bet!]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/01/is-it-right-to-raise-the-tax-on-cigarettes-you-bet/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/01/is-it-right-to-raise-the-tax-on-cigarettes-you-bet/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/01/is-it-right-to-raise-the-tax-on-cigarettes-you-bet/#commentsFiled under: ,

Congressional Democrats looking to spend an additional $35 billion on health coverage for children are drawing criticism for the method they've selected for funding the program: An increased tax on cigarettes. The program would increase the tax from 39 cents per pack all the way up to $1.

Given that smoking is more common among lower-income Americans, the tax is seen as regressive: Health coverage for children will come out of the pockets of those who can't afford it.

Continue reading Is it right to raise the tax on cigarettes? You bet!

Is it right to raise the tax on cigarettes? You bet! originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Altriachildren's health insuranceChildren'sHealthInsuranceCigarettesDemocratsinthenewsMOSmokingTaxesTobaccoMon, 01 Oct 2007 15:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Tobacco to fall under FDA control?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/07/25/tobacco-to-fall-under-fda-control/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/07/25/tobacco-to-fall-under-fda-control/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/07/25/tobacco-to-fall-under-fda-control/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, to be voted on today by the Senate Health Committee, seems on the fast track to approval. If passed into law it will place the tobacco industry under the oversight of the Food and Drug Administration. The measure, supported by health groups and some of the industry, will give the agency some broad powers in regulating the contents and sales of tobacco products.

Industry heavyweight Altria Group's (NYSE: MO) Phillip Morris favors the bill, but others such as Reynolds American's (NYSE: RAI) R.J. Reynolds oppose it, claiming the regulations would limit its ability to compete with the market leader.

Continue reading Tobacco to fall under FDA control?

Tobacco to fall under FDA control? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altriacigarette legislationCigaretteLegislationcigarettesfdafda tobacco rulesFdaTobaccoRulesinthenewsphillip morrisPhillipMorrisraireynold americanReynoldAmericanreynolds americanReynoldsAmericanrj reynoldsRjReynoldstobaccotobacco legislationtobacco rulesTobaccoLegislationTobaccoRulesWed, 25 Jul 2007 14:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Altria earnings disappoint as U.S. business weakens]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/07/18/altria-after-all-these-years-smoking-still-profitable/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/07/18/altria-after-all-these-years-smoking-still-profitable/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/07/18/altria-after-all-these-years-smoking-still-profitable/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) fell today after the cigarette maker disappointed Wall Street, missing analysts' expectations and cutting its earnings guidance for the year to $4.05 to $4.10 per share down from April's $4.20 to $4.25 level.

Earnings per share were $1.05, down from $1.29 last year and under the $1.13 of First Call estimates. Revenues grew almost 10% year-over-year to $18.8 billion, the company said. Bloomberg News notes that the U.S. business is declining at a faster rate than analysts expected.

Simultaneously, the company is acquiring a 30% stake in a Mexican tobacco business from Grupo Carso. CFO Dinyar S. Devitre noted that the international businesses are ready to be split up, although no timing has been given. And who said smoking is a dead-end business? Altria shares are actually up since the company completed its Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) spin-off, and shareholders still have the likely spin-off of Phillip Morris International coming down the pipe.

Many investors would have thought the company's future was in the ashtray, but the company has defied the skeptics, even though everyone knows that its products kill. Actually, shares are up considerably over the last 10-years and it has paid significant dividends. Even the states don't want the company to entirely disappear because cigarettes are responsible for generating huge amounts of tax revenue.

Investors may not all be tobacco fans, but they probably all will say "Keep Smoking!, thanks for the money."

Jon Ogg is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Altria earnings disappoint as U.S. business weakens originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altriaearningskftkraftmarlboromophillip morrisPhillipMorrissmokingtobaccotobacco companiesTobaccoCompaniesWed, 18 Jul 2007 13:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Newspaper wrap-up 2-16-07: Google buys Adscape]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/02/16/newspaper-wrap-up-2-16-07-google-buys-adscape/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/02/16/newspaper-wrap-up-2-16-07-google-buys-adscape/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/02/16/newspaper-wrap-up-2-16-07-google-buys-adscape/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

MAJOR PAPERS:
  • The Wall Street Journal's (subscription required) "Heard on the Street" column focused on Credit Suisse Group's (NYSE: CS) new CEO, Brady Dougan, saying the company chose him to hold a steady course, avoiding periods of high revenues followed by crashes.
  • Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Weekday Trader" column wrote that Elizabeth Arden Inc (NASDAQ: RDEN) trades at a discount to its industry and the broader market, and looks enticing at current levels.
OTHER PAPERS:
  • BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" column reported that AMR Corporation (NYSE: AMR), the parent of American Airlines, is a buyout target of a group that includes the Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS).
  • The New York Times reported that Congress has reintroduced legislation to allow the federal government to further regulate the tobacco industry by cracking down on marketing aimed at young people.
  • The New York Times also reported that Microsoft Corporation's (NASDAQ: MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer said Wall Street analysts are being too optimistic about sales of Windows Vista.
  • According to the Red Herring, Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) has acquired Adscape for $23 million.

Newspaper wrap-up 2-16-07: Google buys Adscape originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adscapeamerican airlinesAmericanAirlinesamramr corpAmrCorpardenballmerbarron'sbarronsbusiness weekbusinessweekcongresscredit suisseCreditSuissecselizabeth ardenElizabethArdengoldman sachsGoldmanSachsgooggooglegsmicrosoftmsftnew york timesnewspaperNewYorkTimesny timesNyTimespaperperiodicalrdenred herringRedHerringtobaccowall street journalWallStreetJournalwsjFri, 16 Feb 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Scientific court decisions due tomorrow]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/18/star-scientific-court-decisions-due-tomorrow/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/18/star-scientific-court-decisions-due-tomorrow/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/18/star-scientific-court-decisions-due-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under:

According to a Dow Jones report yesterday, the decisions to three pending Star Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: STSI) summary-judgment motions in the company's patent-infringement lawsuit against Reynolds American Inc's (NYSE: RAI) R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. will be available on tomorrow.

The patent-infringement suit has been ongoing since 2001, when Star Scientific filed against Reynolds, alleging that Reynolds had violated the company's process to reduce the level of nitrosamines - a carcinogenic toxin - in tobacco.

Star Scientific's stock rose from $3.39 to $4.40 yesterday on the news the decisions had been reached, and could rise again significantly should those decisions go its way. Additionally, if Reynolds is ordered to pay a significant enough sum, the tobacco giant may decide to simply buy out Star Scientific rather than pay a hefty patent-infringement fine.

Star Scientific court decisions due tomorrow originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Jan 2007 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>infringementlawsuitpatentraireynoldsstarstar scientificStarScientificstsitobaccoThu, 18 Jan 2007 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Cramer positive on tobacco and, after elections, Chevron]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/10/30/cramer-positive-on-tobacco-and-cvx-after-elections/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/10/30/cramer-positive-on-tobacco-and-cvx-after-elections/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/10/30/cramer-positive-on-tobacco-and-cvx-after-elections/#commentsFiled under: ,

Tonight investment strategist Jim Cramer discussed the tobacco industry in a positive light on his television program, "Mad Money." He thinks this is a pretty good buy list: Altria (MO), Reynolds (RAI), Vector (VGR), UST (UST), and Carolina Group (CG).

Cramer also discussed the oil industry and the impact of a proposed law in California. He said he thinks in California that Proposition 87 will pass. It would make oil companies in that state fund alternative sources of energy. He thinks that measure will hurt oil companies and thinks Chevron (CVX) has the most exposure. He thinks if that happens it would be best to buy Chevron after the election and after they cut numbers.

Cramer also interviewed the CEO of Rite Aid (RAD), and ended up saying that RAD is a stock for those who can tolerate high speculation.

Cramer positive on tobacco and, after elections, Chevron originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 30 Oct 2006 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CaliforniaChevronCramerCVXProposition 87Proposition87Rite AidRiteAidtobaccoMon, 30 Oct 2006 21:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Altria: Smoke gets in your eyes]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/10/27/altria-smoke-gets-in-your-eyes/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/10/27/altria-smoke-gets-in-your-eyes/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/10/27/altria-smoke-gets-in-your-eyes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Almost everyone was happy about Altria Group Inc.'s (NYSE:MO) earnings and the fact that it is finally planning to spin out its food operations, Kraft, to shareholders. That is not what will drive the tobacco companies fortunes in the future, however. It is the pending liability suit over "light" cigarettes. The suit could represent a $200 billion risk to the tobacco companies, despite temporarily dodging a bullet as they appealed a ruling that plaintiffs could have class-action status.

Tobacco suits have been a big problem in the past, but Altria has won the suits brought against it that claimed to have induced people to smoke while lying about the health risks. The new law suits take a different line of attack. They claim that "light" cigarettes were marketed on the premise that they posed fewer health risks to the smoker and that this marketing ploy was not entirely true.

Moody's, the credit rating agency, which has to take the legal environment into account in its ratings of the world's largest tobacco firm, has actually upgraded Altria recently.

Investors can only hope that Moody's is right. The $200 billion at stake is a lot of money.

Douglas McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

Altria: Smoke gets in your eyes originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Oct 2006 10:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AltriaKraftmotobaccoFri, 27 Oct 2006 10:09:00 EST