Philip Morris International Inc. is a international tobacco corporation, with products distributed in more than 180 countries. While Marlboro remains PMI’s most recognized brand, the Iqos product generated the highest revenue in the last quarter of 2023. Philip Morris International is commonly known as one of the firms that make up Big Tobacco. The company was ranked No. 121 in the 2025 Fortune 500 listing of the largest U.S. corporations by total revenue.
The company's roots trace back to 1847 in London, but Philip Morris International was formally established in 1987 as an operational subsidiary of Philip Morris Companies Inc. In 2003, Philip Morris Companies rebranded itself as Altria Group. PMI was spun off from Altria in March 2008, becoming a fully independent entity thereafter. Philip Morris USA, a subsidiary of its former parent, retains ownership of the Philip Morris brands for the U.S. market.
Based in Stamford, Connecticut, the legal seat of the company is complemented by operational headquarters located in Lausanne, Switzerland.
As tobacco is addictive and a major cause of preventable deaths worldwide, the company has faced legal challenges and regulatory actions from various governments and has drawn scrutiny from the World Health Organization. The company has historically perpetuated claims that smoking cigarettes is safe, despite extensive external and internal evidence highlighting the addictive and harmful nature of smoking. In response to this scrutiny, PMI has diversified in the 21st century, focusing on smoke-free alternatives such as the Iqos heated tobacco products, Zyn nicotine pouches, and Veev electronic cigarettes.