Background and Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Background and Basis of Presentation

Background and Basis of Presentation:

Background

Philip Morris International Inc. is a holding company incorporated in Virginia, U.S.A., whose subsidiaries and affiliates and their licensees are engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other nicotine-containing products, including reduced-risk products, in markets outside of the United States of America. In addition, PMI ships a version of its Platform 1 device and its consumables authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") to Altria Group, Inc., for sale in the United States under license. Throughout these financial statements, the term "PMI" refers to Philip Morris International Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Reduced-risk products ("RRPs") is the term PMI uses to refer to products that present, are likely to present, or have the potential to present less risk of harm to smokers who switch to these products versus continuing smoking. PMI has a range of RRPs in various stages of development, scientific assessment and commercialization.

"Platform 1" is the term PMI uses to refer to PMI’s reduced-risk product that uses a precisely controlled heating device incorporating our IQOS HeatControl technology, into which a specially designed and proprietary tobacco unit is inserted and heated to generate an aerosol.

Basis of Presentation

The interim condensed consolidated financial statements of PMI are unaudited. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") and such principles are applied on a consistent basis. It is the opinion of PMI’s management that all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the interim results presented have been reflected therein. All such adjustments were of a normal recurring nature. Net revenues and net earnings attributable to PMI for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year.

PMI has analyzed the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic ("COVID-19") on its financial statements as of September 30, 2020. PMI has determined that the changes to its significant judgments and estimates did not have a material impact with respect to goodwill, intangible assets, long-lived assets or its hedge accounting activities.

As of March 22, 2019, PMI deconsolidated the financial results of its Canadian subsidiary, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. ("RBH") from PMI's financial statements. For further details, see Note 19. Deconsolidation of RBH.

These statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes, which appear in PMI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.