Altria stock craters after $4.1 billion hit from Juul investment, blames growing legal risk

Altria stock cratered as much as 7% Thursday after the tobacco company posted a fourth-quarter loss and took a $4.1 billion hit on its investment in e-cigarette company Juul, which faces mounting litigation and scrutiny over a surge in teen vaping. The Richmond, Virginia-based Marlboro maker said the impairment charge was due to the increased number of legal cases against Juul and the expectation that litigation will grow. Since the end of October, there has been an 80% increase in the number of legal cases pending against Juul, Altria said. Its…

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