Case 6.1 Philip Morris: Lessening Tobacco Dependency Mention Philip Morris, and everyone immediately thinks of tobaccos Indeed, in the early 1960s, Philip Morris was the smallest of the six U.S tobacco companies. In 1990, however, it ranked number one. Marlboro wus the nation's leading cigarette, with a 26 percent market share; combined with Merit, Virginia Slims, and Benson & Hedges it gave Philip Morris 42 percent of the U.S. cigarette market. Philip Morris's earlier diversification came in the 1970s. Whe Hamish Maxwell became CEO and chairman in July 1984, his goal was lo move Philip Morris away from its cigarette focus-but no one figured it would happen so fast or go so far In late 1985, Maxwell bought Ge Foods for $5.7 billion, which moved Philip Morris squarely into the food-processing mainstream Thi was followed in late 1988 by the acquisition of Kra for which Phili Morris paid 813 billion. The key brands for each are the following:
Kraft General Foods Velveeta Maxwell House Parkay Margarine Sanka. Sealtest Jell-O Breyers Post Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese Oscar Mayer rusen Glad Tang All American Gourmet Frozen Entrees Birds Eye Maxwell immediately merged the two to form the second-largest pac luged foods operation in the world, behind only Nestlé. He likely is through yet, but it will probably take a year or so to digest what's alrea been acquired
It was orpected that between 1990 and 1994, Philip Morris, after taxes and dividends, would still have a healthy excess cash flow of 8l.3 billion, making its $15 billion debt manageable. That means you can look for another food company to be on the menu. Maxwell says he has no intention of getting into the motion picture, cable TV, or personal care business, as Philip Morris would not have the synergy it gets with food Two key names that seem to crop up as likely candidates are Pepsi and Campbell Soup. Pepsi has a dominant position in snack foods (Frito Lay), and its soft-drink and restaurant businesses (Pizza Hut) are doing well in the United States and abroad. A Pepsi drawback is the likely high price ($18-$20 billion), plus the probability that the Justice De- partment might require Philip Morris to divest itself of its Miller Brewing division to satisfy laws regulating beer companies' ownership of restau- rants. Campbell Soup Company, on the other hand, not only is strong in soups but has Le Menu, Swanson, and Mrs. Paul's, which would com plement the full-meal All-American Gourmet and Birds Eye brands from the Krall acquisition. Meanwhile, the tobacco business is still going strong, despite the growing external pressures from government and health-care groups and the public. After the Kraft and General Foods acquisitions, food ac counted for 50 percent of Philip Morris sales and 30 percent of profits cigarettes, while accounting for only 40 percent of sales, contributed a whopping 65 percent of operating income Maxwell will continue to lessen risk by using profits generated by tobacco to reduce Philip Morris's dependence on it. Apparently, some- one likes what he is doing--Philip Morris stock kicked up 63 percent in 1989. Moreover, Philip Morris was runner-up as "America's most a mired corporation" in Fortune's annual survey Source: Subrata N. Chakrawariuz, "Philip Morris ls Still Hungry," Forbes, April 12, 1990, pp. 96-101; and "Leaders of the Most Admired," Fortune, January 29, 1990, pp.