USA, Chicago: Altria Group Inc. posted on October 19 higher quarterly profit, as higher income from its stake in brewer SABMiller Plc and the weak dollar offset weakness in domestic tobacco and its Kraft food business, according to Reuters. The company also said it expected full-year profit to be in the upper half of its previous forecast range. The parent of cigarette maker Philip Morris USA, Philip Morris International and Kraft Foods Inc. posted third-quarter profit of $2.65 billion, or $1.29 a share, compared with $2.49 billion, or $1.22 a share, a year earlier.

24 October, 2004