CHICAGO (Standard&Poor's) Feb. 6, 2009--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that its ratings and outlook on Richmond, Va.-based Altria Group Inc. (BBB/Stable/A-2), parent of Philip Morris USA Inc., and Reynolds American Inc. (BBB-/Stable/--), parent of RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., are not immediately affected by the pending increase in the Federal Excise Tax (FET) on cigarette and other tobacco-related products. The tax increase will be used to fund the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill, which was signed into law on Feb.4, 2009. The tobacco tax increase includes a 62-cent FET increase per pack of cigarettes. The bill, which included a floor tax on wholesale and retail inventories, raises the total FET to $1.01 per pack effective
