NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) June 28, 2010--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) appeal seeking disgorgement of profits in its case against the leading U.S. tobacco manufacturers had no immediate rating impact on Altria Group Inc. (BBB/Stable/A-2; parent company of Philip Morris USA), Reynolds American Inc. (BBB-/Stable/--; parent of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.), and Lorillard Inc. (BBB-/Negative/--; parent company of Lorillard Tobacco Co.). We view the Supreme Court's denial of petitions to review disgorgement of past profits as a potential remedy to the DOJ case to be favorable to the industry. Specifically, we believe that the ruling removes the threat of a substantial adverse financial impact that
