$PM

British American Tobacco’s Rothmans unit said it previously considered withdrawing from South Korea’s vaping market, but its Vuse products remain on sale while it reassesses conditions after new nicotine regulations. BAT reported H1 2026 APMEA vape volume down 20.2% and revenue down 25.6%. Philip Morris International launched VEEV inPRIME in June, expanding to about 14,000 stores from July.

Denver sued 10 cigarette companies, alleging their synthetic plastic filters create a public nuisance and contribute to litter on city property. The complaint names Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and seeks unspecified damages and an order for remediation. Denver cites WHO estimates of 4.5 trillion butts discarded annually and says butts may be up to one-quarter of its litter problem.

Denver sued nine tobacco manufacturers and one distributor in state court, seeking compensation for cleanup and “continuing harms” from cigarette butt litter, citing non-biodegradable filters. The complaint names Philip Morris USA, Altria, R.J. Reynolds, Reynolds American, British American Tobacco and others, alleging littering is a foreseeable consequence of product design and marketing.

Philip Morris International (PM) opened a $1.2B, 780,000 sq ft Aurora, Colorado campus to produce ZYN nicotine pouches, after about 19 months. The FDA authorized 20 ZYN products as modified risk tobacco products on June 30. Reuters also cited PM beating Q2 estimates. The article notes Aurora cost rose from $600M and highlights BAT (BTI) growth and planned Velo Max rollout.

The U.S. FDA authorized marketing of four new flavored nicotine pouch products from brand “on!” and raised the total recently approved to 30. The FDA also previously cleared ZYN for 20 products with a “Modified Risk Tobacco Product” claim. Philip Morris makes ZYN and Altria makes “on!”. Health groups cite youth use and addiction risks; FDA says MRTP status does not mean risk-free.

Needham analyst Gerald Pascarelli maintained a Buy rating on Philip Morris International and raised his price target to $215 from $200 on July 23. The article cites a mean target of $207.43, about a 10.7% premium to the current share price, and a Street-high target of $225, implying 20.1% upside.

NPR reports the FDA authorized Philip Morris International’s Zyn nicotine pouches to advertise lower relative risks versus cigarettes. Experts cited include Dartmouth’s Mitch Zeller and Stanford’s Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, who note harm reduction for adult smokers but warn nicotine is addictive and youth use is rising. Monitoring the Future shows 12th-grade lifetime use up to 10.0% in 2025 from 6.8% in 2024.

KiwiSaver Investment in "Companies of Concern" Climbs to $11.1 Billion, even as Kiwis invest for positive outcomes at home New analysis of KiwiSaver portfolio holdings to March 2026 shows New Zealanders' retirement savings are increasingly split between rapidly growing investment in clean energy leaders and rising exposure to fossil fuel expansion, human rights violations, environmental harm and nuclear weapons production.

Brazil’s Attorney General is awaiting a ruling in Porto Alegre on a 2019 lawsuit seeking health cost recovery from cigarette makers. Submissions are complete, including a prosecutor opinion. Defendants include BAT Brasil (formerly Souza Cruz) and Philip Morris Brasil, plus parent firms British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International. The claim cites about 177,000 deaths and R$75 billion yearly healthcare costs.

Apple (AAPL) shares hit $342.89 intraday and briefly topped $5T market cap after catalysts including an AI home hub and Apple Upgrade leasing program. Coca-Cola (KO) rose to $90.22 after Q2 beat, with revenue $13.37B and adj. EPS $1.03, plus higher 2026 targets. Philip Morris (PM) reached $207.76 after opening an Aurora, Colorado campus.