I found it interesting that the global tobacco company market remains one of the most profitable, despite all attempts to reduce consumption. Several giants are literally dividing the entire pie among themselves, and the numbers are impressive. 💰

Here's what I found out about the biggest players. China National Tobacco Corporation produces more than 40% of all cigarettes on the planet — it is a state-owned company with an annual profit of about $30 billion. In the West, the leader is Philip Morris International with a capitalization of $141.93 billion and a profit of $9.1 billion in 2021. They are actively investing in alternative products like IQOS.

British American Tobacco owns more than 200 brands in 180 countries — market capitalization of $91.6 billion, profit of $8.7 billion. Altria Group controls the famous Marlboro in the U.S. and has a market capitalization of $88 billion. Japan Tobacco International, the largest in Japan, shows a market cap of $50 billion and a profit of $4.5 billion.

Looking at the Asian market, ITC Limited from India has a capitalization of $55 billion, although it is involved in more than just tobacco. KT&G in South Korea is $10 billion, Eastern Company in Egypt is only $1.5 billion. Imperial Brands and Swedish Match also hold their niches.

These tobacco companies continue to generate huge profits, although regulatory pressure is increasing. The data is current as of 2021, but the market structure remains roughly the same. The business still operates, despite everything.