American Tobacco
the American Tobacco Company Incorporated Annual Report 1952
Fields
- Litigation
- 10004026
- Type
- Annual Report
- Report
- Date Loaded
- 23 Nov 1998
- Attachment
- 60067694
- Author
- American Tobacco Company
- Brand
- Lucky
- Pall Mall
- Herbert Tareyton
- La Corona
- Antonio Y Cleopatra
- Roi-Tan
- Half & Half
- Bull Durham
- Pall Mall
Document Images
19S2
0926716-008

annual
or,
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 7952
W]TH CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
AND RETAINED EARNINGS
Executive Office 111 FIFTH AVENUE • NEW YORK 3, N. Y.

Ss952
,9~_=
Net income per common share ................. : ................ $4.79
Dividends paid per eonm]on share ............................. 4.00
19s~1
$4.64*
4.00
Net s~les ........................................................ $1,065,73B,454
Income, before taxes on income ....................... 78,351,963
Net income .......................................... 34,G68,963
Dividends pald (preferred and common) ............. 27,@95,973
Portion of ~el income invested in assets used in the h~lsi~es~
and to provide ior debenture sinking fund requirements 6,972,990
Current assets, December 31 .......................... 712,653,905
Current liabilities, December 31 ....................... 161,399,785
Net working capital, December 31 ............... 55L254,120
8'942,552,034
80,397,669
33,109,669
24,675,682
8,433,987
668,233,873
212,177,930
456~055,94,1
Nuraher of stockholders at December 31:
Common ................................... 74.792
66,693
Preferred ................................. 8,166
8,324
* Ba~ed upon 6~454,110 v.hares outstanding al December 2;1, 1952. Baaed upon 5,~78,425 shares which
wore outstanding ~t December 31, 1951, ~he amount wa~ $5.57 per share.

To our STOCKHOLDEII$:
This letter, together with the accompany-
ing financial ~tatemeots, is your Manage-
ment's report on the operations of your
Company, incladillg its consolidated sub-
sidiarles, in 1952. The financial results
for tile year are, of course, of paramouut
interett to the stockholders. Some o1 the
more important facts relating to 1952 opera-
tions are set forth below:
1. Dollar and unit sales reached a new
high and were again the largest in"
the industry. Dollar sales totaled
$1,065,738,454.
2. Net income f,,r the year increased
to $34,068,963.
3. The sale in March 1952 of addltlonal
common stock and debentures has
materially strengthened your Com-
pany's financial position.
SALES
Dollar volume in 1952 increased
$123,186,420 to $i,065,738,454. About
59 per cent of the gain was due to higher
unit sales of elgarettes and the remainder
to the rise ht the Federal excise tax that
became effective November l, 1951. Sales
of the Company in 1952 increased at a
rate substantially h~gher than that for the
industlT as a whole.
February 5, 1953
Between 19,tO and 1952 inclusive, the
dollar sales volume of The American To-
bacco C.mpany increased by 245 per eel,t,
compared with an increase of 185 per cent
in the combined dollar sales volume of the
four other principal tobacco companies.
This is illustrated in the following chart,
in wblch 1940 salem volume fo," tl,e Com-
pany and /or the four other pHncipaI
tobacco companies is indexed at 100.
Growth in Dollar Sales
Since 1940
0940=100)
~ IM A~ ToMe:o ~r~
m Four Major Com~fitors
1940 '41 '42 '43 '44 '4~ '46 '47 '48 '49 '50 '51 '52
Tf~e Ctmlpany's ttnit sales of cigarettes
in 1952 were the largest in the industry
and in the Company's history. Ahlmugh
LUCKY STRIKE total domestic ~ales
showed a decline for the year, there are

encouraging indications dmt in potentially
important groups of consumers LUCKY
SIRIKE has achieved sales leadership.
One o£ sltch groups is the United States
Armed Forces, ~*here reports indicate that
lUCKY STRIKE is the favotile brand.
Also, a recent nation-wide sur~ey based on
actual interviews at eighty leading col-
leges indicates that cellege students prefer
LUCKY STRIKE by a wide margin and
that LUCKY STRIKE, during the college
year September 1951 f~ ]line 1952, gained
more smokers than the nation's two other
principal brands combined.
Sales of our two king-size cigarettes
PALL MALL and HERBERT TAREYTON,
increased substantially in 1952. PALL
MALL is the largest-selling klng-size cig-
arette in America and has advanced to
fourth place among all cigarette brands.
Sales of LA CORONA and ANTONIO y
CLEOPATPu~, leaders in the field of high*
grade cigars, were higher in I952 than in
the previous year. ROI-TAN eontinued to
be the large~t-selling eigar in its price class.
Sales of the Company's smoking tobacco
brands, wtdeh constitute a relatively minor
portion of tot,d sales, decreased at about
fl~e same rate as that re*" d~e industry as
a whole.
EAIII~INGs AND TAXES
Consolidated net income for 1952
amounted to $84,068,963 and was $959,
294 higher than fog 1951_
.Income before taxes was less than for
the previous year, but fieeause of lower
excess p¢ofits and income tax liability, ]let
ineemu increased. The lower tax liability
was due principally to greater excess profits
tax credit whb:h resulted ~'rom the ~ale in
OI ¢ i i I I I t
19,10 '41 '42 '43 '44 '15 '46 '47 '4~ '49 '50 '51 '52
March 1952 of additional common stock
and debentures.
Taxes on income in 1952 were equivalent
to $(;.86 per common share compared with
earnngs o+' $1.79 per share after taxes.
DIYI:DENDS
During 1952 dividends of $4.00 per
sbare were 1told on the common stock, eort-
sistlng of fmu" regular quarterly dividends
of 75 cents each and art extra dividend of
$i.00. A dividend of S1.75 per share,
consisting of the regular dividend of 75
cents and an extra dividend of $1.00, will
be r~ ailed to stockhoblers on March 2, 1953.
'I'ihe March 2 dividend is the 190th con-
secutive dividend paid mt the common stock
siru:e the incorporation of the Company in
1904. While the amount of the dividends
paid on common stock during these years
hats ~,aried because of wa'iations in earnings,
dividends on the preierred and tttmltnon
stocks have been paid every year since tim
incorporation of the Company. This is a~l
ou stand ng record and one ha S espee a y

important to stockholders who depend upon
the regularity o£ their investment income,
CIGARETTE PRICES
At this time last year your Management
reported that it was making every effort to
obtain permission from the Office of Price
Stabilization to raise the price of eigarottcs.
0a April 15, 1952, the Office of Price
Stabilization informed the cigarette indus-
try iliab based on its survey of cost and
earnings in the industlT, no change in
ceilings would be made at that time. 011
September 15, 1952, the Company re-
quested the 0IEce ol Price Stabilization to
reconsider clgarette ceiling prices. Supple-
mental data was furnished to the Of~ce of
Price Stabilization in connection with this
request. On January 7, 1950, the Company
was informed that the committee which had
been appointed to review this request had~
reeomrnended disapproval of a price in-
CreaSe.
Slight relief from the eust-prbe ~lUeeze
was obtained in August when cigar prices
were decontrolled. However, slnee cigar
sales represent only a very small pordon
of our total sales, the relief afforded hy
the rise in cigar prices is insignificant.
As a consequence, your Company had to
absorb the continuing higher costs of Maf
tobacco, packaging materials, wages and
other items without being able to recover
any appreciable portion of such additional
costs through increases in the prices of its
products.
Thus, notwithstanding substantially larg-
er sales volume,--higher by $123,000,000
than in 1951, income before taxes was
less in 1952 than Jn the previous year. If
it had not been for diminished excess profits
and income tax liability for 1952, net in-
come for 1952 would have been lower than
for i951.
The expected expiration or terminaSon of
cigarette price controls gives hope for the
future.
INVENTORIES
As has been true fnr a number of years
pasb the Company's inventories of leaf
tobacco, manutactnred stock, operating
supplies, etc., again increased in 1952.
The amount of the increase was approxi-
mately $46,000,000. Most of this was thte
t~J tim larger physical quantities of leaf
tobacco which are necessary to maintain
adequate supplies of properly aged leaf
consistent with the growth of the Company's
business.
Although drought eondi8ons, which were
generally prevalent throughout the tobacco-
g~owing areas this summe~, adversely af-
fected the 1952 tobacco crops, your Com-
pany was able to foresee this condition in
time to make pre~season purchases of prior
yoars' tobacco, thus obtaining an adequate
quantity of top quality cigarettte tobacco
commensurate with its production rcquire-
inent~.
During the period from 1940 to 1952,
the Company's sales expanded from
$309,325,885 to $1,065,738,454 while
inventories rose from $159,428,115 to
$640,753,119. The increase in the value
of irlvcntories during this period was due
to the larger physical quantities of leaf
tobacco needed and to higher prices re-
quired to be paid tor our leaf purchases.
The growth in the Company's volume of
sales over the years, together with the larger
quantities of tobacco required in the pro-

771e ~n~can Tdmcco Compauy
Growth in [uve~#ories and Sales
1940 '41 '42 '~ '44 '45 '46 '47 '48 '49 '50 '5I '52
duction of FALL MALL and HERBERT
TAREYTON king-sizo cigarettes, has oc-
casloned the increase in the physical quan-
tity of our leaf tobacco inventories.
Since 1933, except for the year 1939,
the Federal Government has exercised a
degree of restrictive control over the pro-
duetlon of flue-em'ed and hurley tobacco
crops. Marketing quotns have been in eiiect
for flue~eured and bttrley tobaccos, az~d
Congress has provided mandatory price
support for tobaee~ wheoevcr m~rketit/g
quotas are Jn effect..Largely as a conse-
quence of this program, the prices paid
by the Company during the past season
for flue-cured and bttrley tobaccos, which
are the principal cigarette types of leaf
tobacco, weze more than two and ~ne-half
times as higit as they were ia 2940.
Funds for the larger investment in leaf
tobacco inventories have been provided
seasonally through short-term loans from
banks. However, at periodic inter~als since
1940, the Company has funded a total of
$325,000,000 of short.term debts and has
obtained approximately $I0%,000~000 from
the sale ot! additio~ral common stock to its
stockholders.
In March t952theCompany sold approx-
imately $54,000,000 of common stock and
sg0,000,000 of debentures, the proceeds o~
which were used to retire an equivalent
amount of bank loans, which had amounted
to $140,(EO,000 on Decernb,er 31, 1951,
and had reaohed a peak of $162,000,000
in January 1952.
Your Management takes pleasure in re-
porting that of the 1,075,6~15 shares of
common stock oKered to the common stock-
holders at $52 per share in March 1952,
1,047,864 shares (or 97.4 per cent) were
suhscrlbed for through the exercise of
rights. The remaining 27,821 shares were
purchased by the underwriters.
Bank loans at December 31, 1952,
amounted 1o $92,000,000, a decrease of
$48p000,000 front the end oJf I951.
During the year, fmlded debt prevthusl3'
issued was reduced $10,366,000 through
the operation of sinking funds.
Your Mat~agement is of the oplnthu that
working capital at the present time is ade-
quate for tbe needs of the foreseeable future,
and in the absence of unusual developments
doe~ not contemplate any new financing.
THE COMP~N'Y~S POSITION
IN TI~E IN/)(JSTHy
Each stockholder of The American To.
haceo Company has the advantage of having
a major slake in virtuaBy the entire field of
tobacco products. Your Company is in the

exceptionally strong position of having three
out of the seven most popular cigarette
brands--LUCKY STRIKE, PALL MALL
and HERBERT TAREYTON; three great
cigar brands--LA CORONA, ANTONIO y
CLEOPATRA and ROI-TAN; and two
popular smoking tobacco brands--HALF &
HALF and BULL DURHAM. Thus, each
stockholder has an interest in a group of
broods, whlch represents the best diversi-
fication of sales in the industry.
In addition to its prominent position in
the standard-~ize cigarette field, which is
maintained by the Company's largest hrand,
LUCKY STRIKE, your Company is well
established in the klng-size field with PALL
MALL and HERBERT TAREYTON.
ADVERTISING
Your Company's products are sold in a
highly eompetiBve market and the main- ,,
tenance of the leading position o£ the
Company's brands requires extensive adver-
tising and promotion. Sales of file Com-
pany's principal eiga~elte brand& LUCKY
STRIKE, pALL MALL and HERBERT
TAREYTON, are promoted extellslvely
through televislon~ radio, magazine, news-
paper and billboard advertising.
Advertising is a principal factor in
achieving the great volume of cigarette
sales, without which the cost of manufac-
turing cigarettes and their price to the con-
sumer would necessarily be ruuch higher
than they are today. Considerable misin-
formaBon exists as to the cost of cigarette
advertising. In spite of its comprehensive
nattrre, your Company s c'gare e adver s-
ing costs only about one-third of a cent per
package of twenty eigarenes.
Throughout all our advertising runs the
tnaiu theme of quality, which is the most
importallt factor in the popularity of
LUCKY STRIKE, PALL MALL ned
HERBERT TAREYTON Cigarettes. The
use of quality leaf tobacco and die careful
methods employed in the manufacture of
our cigarette brands are eonstandy empha-
sized in our advertising.
During 1952, LUCKY STRIKE televi-
sion and radio programs and personalities
continued to receive recognition through
some twenty-five different local and national
awards for excellence of performance.
"Your Hit Parade", herb in televisJo~ al)d
radio, took top honors th the musleaI field;
"Robert Montgomery Presents" was voted
the best television dramatic serie% and
"The Jack Betray Program" was again
named the outstanding comedy show and
Mr. Benny the best comedian.
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
As of the end of the year the Company
and its subsidiaries had approximately
19,000 reguIar fuR-tlme employees in the
United States. The relafionsbJp between
the Company and its employees has been
satisfactory.
All regular fulbtime employees in tbe
United States are covered by a retirement
plan and are provided wifil group life insur-
ance coverage. In addition, medical attd
hospital benefits are provided, as well as
sick leave pay.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I
should like Io expless our appreciation for
the continued active intere*t of tlw ~tock-
holders in the affairs 0£ o~sc Ccmq)any mtd
for the cooperation of our employees and
elxs~Olners.
PAUL M. H~.llrt
President
7

1952 OPERATIONS AT A GLANCE
THE COMPANY RECEIVED
FOR GOODS IT SOLD AND
FROM DIVIDENDS, INTEREST
AND M]SCELLANEOUS
$1,067,211,000
THIS IS HOW IT WAS USED OR
54% FOR
REVENUE 5TAMPS
AND TAXES
27% FOR
TOBACCO (incJudlng
applicabEe expenses)
SET ASIDE:
$575,089,000
$287,852,000
15% FO~
WAGES, GOODS,
SERVICES, ETC.
1% FOR
BOND AND
BANK INTEREST
$160,302,000
$9,899,000
1/~% FOR
EARNINGS RETAINED
TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS
$27,096,000
$6,973,000

{
~/.)t< i ~t'~,'~J~j ~'t~///C r~E,~ ~
subsidlarie~ except The Amerlean
For years ended December 31
Toba¢c° Company of ~ Orient, Ine'
19~2
l%~T SALES .............................. $1,065,738,454
Cost of sales, selling, general and administrative expenses
OPEBATING PROFIT ..........................
OI]]er income .............. , ...........................
1951
$942,552,034
978,021,712 8.53,438,725
87,716,742 89,113,309
1,472,029 860,124
89,188,771
89,973,4~33
Interest and related charges ...................... 9,899,263
8,957,832
Other deductions from income .................................... 937,545
617,932
Total deductions ................... 10,836,808
9,575.764
Income, before taxes on income ................................ 78,351,963
80,397,669
Federal and other taxes on income (Note 1) ................ 44,283,000 47,288,000
NET INCOME ................................................... 34,068,963 33,109,669
Retained earnings, beginning of year ............................. 112,754,074
104,320,087
] 4~5,823,037
137,429,756
Cash dividends:
Common stock, $4 pel" share .................................. 23,933,991
21,513,700
Preferred stock, $6 per share .............................. 3,161,982
3,16],982
Total dividends ...................... 27,095,973
- 24,673,682
Retained earnings, end of year (Note 2) $119,727,064
$112,754,074
Depreeialioh pravided and charged Io costs and expenses amounted to $3,I00,517 in 1952
and g2,996,883 in 1951.
9

Including Amoti~an Cigarelle and Cigar Co~apany and all wholIy owned do~aaesti¢
subsidiaries ¢+x,~epl ~J'h+" Alll~ri,~ll Tobacco Co/flparly of the O~ielal, ~nt.
As of December 31
ASSETS
1951
Demand deposits in banks and cash on hand ........................... $ 26,409,726
$ 3],992,252
Accounts receivable, customers ......................................... 44,509,503
40,571,157
Leaf tobacco, manufactured stock, operating supplies, etc., at
average cost .................... 640,753,11rl
594,543,551
Miscellaneous accounts receivable ......................... 981,557
1,126,911
Total current assets ................. ., ..................... 712,653,906
668,233,871
Investments in securities of unconsolidated subsidiaric.., at
amounts not in excess of cost (includes $3,400,000 in
"Mmlly owned British subsidiary) (Note 3) ...... 16,500,133
Advances to unconsolidated subsidiaries .................................. 2,046,000
11,704,285
4,400,000
Insurance deposits and miscellaneous investments 2,375,356
2,320,269
Real estate, machinery, fixtures, etc., at cost. less allowance
f~r depreciation, 1952, $32,856,525; 1931, $30,732,657 44,479,53g
44,247,672
Prepaid expenses and deferred charges ............................. 4,299,415~
3,573,877
Brands, trade-marks, patents, good will, ete ................. ]
$783,154,349
$734,479,975
I0

LIABILITIES
]95~
Notes payable to banks ...................................... $ 92,000,000
Accrued taxes ........................................................
Accounts payable and accrued expenses .....................
Dividend on preferred stock for quarter ended December 31
Debentures to be redeemed through sinking fund operations
(Note 4) ..............................................................
195_~l
$1.t0,000,000
48,032,415 50,797,675
9,626,874 11,133,759
790,496 790,496
10,950,000 9,456,000
Total current liabilities ............................. 161,399,785
212,177,930
Debentures (Note 4) .......................... ,, .................. 243,570,000
205,430,000
404,969,785
417,607,930
Minority interest in American Cigarette and Cigar Company .... 1,110,609
1,046,290
CAPITAL
Capital stock (Note 5):
Preferred, six per cent cumulative, par value $100 per share 52,699,700 52,699,700
Common, par value $25 per share ......................... 161,352,750 136,803,4.50
Excess of net proceeds from sale of common stock over par
-9
value (Note 6) .................................. 43,'294,441
20,5 5.~ 1
257,346,891
210,078,741
Retained earnings (Note 2) .......................... 119,727,064 __112'754'074
377.073,955
322,832,815
Less, Treasury stock, at cost (93,713 shares of common stuck
sold in 1952) ....................................................
7,007,060
Total 377,073,955
315.025,755
$783,154,349
$734,479,975
I1

l. fncDtdes federal excess profits taxes of $2,065,000 for 1952 and $5,050,000 for 195L
Tbe 1952 amount represents a provision of $3,285,000 by a subsldia:ty, less a reduction
of $1,220,000 under the carry-back provisions of Ihe Internal Revenue Code due to an
unused excess profits tax credit of the Company.
2. Ur~der the provislo~ls of the indenture relatitlg to the Twenty Year 3N Debelltures, due
January 1, 3.968, cash dividends declared on eoramon stock and payments made in pur-
chasing shares of any class of the Company's stock subsequent to December 3i, 1947, may
not exceed the aggregate of $~5,000,000 and consc,lidated net income ealned subsequent
to December 31~ 1947, less dividends paid on preferred stock. At December 31, /952,
approximately $89,000,000 of retained earathgs wa~ free of this restriction.
3. The net tangible assets applicable to the investmtmts in unconsolidated subgidiaries at
December 31, 1.952, amounted t¢ $21,609,877, it,eluding $8,976,221 net assets of tbe
British subsidiary translated into d~fllars at appro1~fiate rates of exchange. Dividends and
interest of $1.,1.58,071 were received from these investments in 1952; the equity in earnings
applicable to such investments amounted to $1,753~689.
4. Debentures outstanding at December 31.,'~952, corr@rise:
Pr]nclpa[ Amotm~
Twe~ty yea~ 3%, due April 15, 1962 ............... $ 3.456,000
Twenty year 3%, due January l, 1968 ............. 3,000,000
Twen~.five year 3%, due October 15, 1969 .......... 3,104,000
Twenty-fi~e year 31/x%, due February 1, 1977 ........ 1,390,010
$10,950,0~0
Redeemable Redeemable
Within After
On~ year~ Dee. 31.1953
$ 62,666,0(10
60:000,000
72~294,000
4~,610,1(10
$243~570,0fl0
* Estimated principal amounts to he redeemed through sinking fund c,peratinns at prices
as provided by the indentures.
5. Capital stock at December 31, 1952, comprises:
S[l~lres
"Authorized Issued
Preferred ................................. 540,196
526,997
Common ..................... ~0,(]O0=t)(}O
fir454.1~0
6. Tile incrca*e in Excess of net proceeds flora sale of common stock over par value resulted
from the sale of ],075,685 shares of common stuck, whlcb included 93,713 shares of
treasury stock.
12

The Board of Directors and Stockholders o[
THE AME~ICAN TOBACCO COMPANY.
We have examined the consolidated balance sheet o~ TIIE AMERICAN TOBACCO
COMPANY as o~ December 31, 1952, and the relamd consolidated statement of income
and retained earnings for the year then ended. Tim financiaI statements of American
Cigarette and Cigar Company, a consolidated subsidiary, were examined by other
independent certified pub]ic accountants. Our examination was made in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards, and accordingly included such tests o~
the accounting records of the companies (except American Cigarette and Cigar Com-
pany) and such other auditing prccodu~s as we considered necessary in the cir-
cumstances. We nlade a similar examination for the year 1951.
In our opinion, based upon oar examinations and upon the reports of other
independent cerii~ed public accomltants, the accompanying balance sheets and related
statements of income and retained earnings present fnirly the consolidated position
of The American Tobaccn Company and the subsidiaries included therein as of Decem-
ber gl, 1952 and 1951, and the consolidated results of their operations for the years
then ended, in eon~o~nity wll]l generally accepted accounting principles applied on a
consistent basis.
LyBRAND, l{OSS BROS. & I~[ONTGOMERY
New York,
February 2, 1953.
13
L

For years muted December 31
{Jn Thaosand,)
,9s__j= tgs, ,gso 1,42
,9_._~
NET SALES ......... $I,065,738 $042,552 $871,621 $858,996
$873,467
Cost of sales ........................ 978,021 853,439 785,026 775,712 794,248:
OPERATING PROFIT ..... 87,717 89,113 86,595 8.3,284
79,219
Other income -- Net ..... 534 243 1,095' 490
283
88,251 139,356 85,500 83,774
79,502
Interest and related charges 9,899 8,958 8,736 8,952 8,568
lacome before taxes cr~ itteome 78,352 80,398 76,764 74,g22
70,934
Taxes on income .............. 44,283 417,288 35,031 29,147
27,022
NET INCOME ............. 34,069 £;3,110 41,733 45,675 43,912
DIVIDENDS PAID:
Preferred ..........
Coiili11oll ............
3,162 3,162 3,162 3,162 3,162
23,934 21.514 21,514. 21,514 20,169
27,096 24,676 24,676 24,676 2.3,331
P~)r~ion of net itm~me irtve~ted in
assets used ill the business and
to provide for debenture sinking
fund requirements ......... $ 6,973 $
8,434 $ 17,057 $ 20,999 $ 20,581
# Deduction
14
l"

As of December 31
ASSETS l*s~ lts~
Cash ................................... $ 26.410
Accounls receivable, customers ..... 44.809
Inventories ...... 640,753
Miscellaneous accounts receivabie 982
Total current assets ...... ~12,054
Investments in unconsolidated sub-
sidiarles .................
Other receivables and investments
Plant and equipment- net
Prepaid expenses, ere .........
Brands. Lrade-marks, etc .................
Total assets ......... $783.154
(im lhouland$}
19s..~o 194~ lv4s
$ 31.992 $ 22.157 $ 17.949 $ 16,176
40,571 36.783 33,128 36.020
594.544 532,679 531,558 514,958
1,127 1.407 1,127 729
668.234 593.026 583,762 567.883
16,500 11,704 12,848 ]4.080 14.446
5.221 6.720 4,801 5.813 4,873
44.480 44.248 43,747 43,507 41.859
4,299 3,574 2.983 3.345 3.515
., -- -- 54,099 54.099
$734.480 $657.405 $704,606 $686,675
LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL
Notes payable ..................... $ 92,000
Accrued taxes .............. 48.032
Accounts payable and accrued ex-
penses .................... 9.627
Preferred stock dividend ......... 790
Funded debt due within one year 10.950
Total current liabilities ..... 161.399
Funded debt ..... 243.570
Minority interest .......... 1.111
Capital ........... 257.347
Retained earnings .............. 1t9.727
Treasury siock (deduction) --
Total liaIDilities and capital $783,154
$140,000 $ 73,000 $ 80,000 $ 72,000
50.798 39.942 34.906 34.949
11,134 8.919 7.542 9.487
790 790 790 790
9.456 10.722 9,694 9,211
212.178 133.373 ]32,932 126.387
205,430 215.653 226,375 236~69
1.046 987 865 784
210.079 210,079 210.079 210~79
112.754 104.320 ]41.362 120,363
(7.007) (7.007) (7,007) (7,007)
$734,480 $657805 $704,606 $686.675
Ill
m

INCORPORATE:E)
DIRECTORS
0RpBEU~ D. BAXALy$
ALFNED F. BOWD~N
RICHARD J. BOYLAN
DOUGLAS W. BRASH~AR
T~O~AS P. C0~NORS
JAMES R. Coo~
JOHN A, C~OWE
JOH~ S. DOWD
PRESTON L. FOWLV~R
PAN, M. HXaN
HIRAM R. ~ANVIER
XDMUD[D A. HARVEY
HARRY L, HILYARD
JOHN R. HUTClllNGS, JR,
A. LERoY J~J~sos
WILLIAM ~, OGSBUI~¥
J~B F. ~TRICKL%ND
OFFICERS
PAUL M. HAhN ............. Pr~dem
RICI~RD J. BOYLAN ......... Vice Pre~ideng
J~.MES R. CooJ: .......... Vice Pr~slden;
JOHN A, CROWE .......... Vice Pr~*ident
PRESTOI~ L. ]7OWLL~ ........ Vice Pre~iden~
~MIT~D A. HAItV~X ......... V~C* Pr¢~de~
HA~R'Z L. I~n.'A~D ........... Treasurer
A. LxRo~ JA~SO~ ........... AMitor
ALFBED F. BOWDEN * . , . . . As~st,~r~t m the Pres~ds,iI
JO~N ~. ]~hNLON ........... Secretory
J. WE~LR'f D.~LE ......... st~ds~aa~ Av~i~¢
]~D~/ARD D. ~LAI{ERTY ....... ~g-~lgt~ ~tt~or
FKEDERICK ~, K~NNy ....... ~lssixtctit Se~ret~ry
JOSEpI~ }{. WATEKDIOI[SE- , ..... Assistant Tteasgrer
Executive Office:
Corporate Office:
Transfer Agent:
Registrar:
IIi FIFT~ AVENUE, NEW YO~X 3, N. Y,
I[7 M~.IN STR~T, FI.EMINCT()~, N. J.
GU~ANT~ ~[I~UST COMPANY (12 N£W YOR~, ~EW YORK 15~ iN, Y.
C~Y B~< FAa~Ea~ ~UST (:O.~pm~, NEW yORZ~ 15, N. Y.
h

---

NOTICE OF MEETING
Flemington, N. J., March 2, 1953
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that k~le Anuual Mcoting of the Preferred and
Commort Stockholders of TIIE A~aI~II~CAN TOBACCO CoMI~m~r w~]l be hehl at
No. 34 Court Street, Flemington, New Jersey, at one-t~rty o'clock in the
a~ternoon (Eastern Standard ~me) on Wednesday, April 1, 1953, for the
~ollowing purposes: (1) to elect Directors; (2) to con~der and vote upon a
proposal (designated Proposal A and set ~orth in the following proxy state- J
merit) made by three stockholders; and (3) to transact such other business as
may properly come before the meeting.
The Preferred and Common Stock txansfer bo~s will not be closed, but
holder~ of Preferred Stock and Common Stock to he cntifled to vote must be
holde~ of record at the close o~ business on March 2, 1953.
JO~N ~. tigLON, Secretary

PROXY STATEMENT
The enclosed proxy is solicited by and on behalf <ff the Management and is revocable in
writin$.
Proxies in the form enclosed, property executed by stockholders and duly rerurland to the Management
and not revoked, will be voted and, if a choice be specified with respect to matters to be acted
uport,
will 2~e vo~ed in accordance ~'ith such speclficattons.
The outstanding number of each class of voting securities of the Company is: Preferred 526,997
shar~s; Commotl 6,454,110 shares. The Preferred Stork is entitled to four votes per share. The
Common
Stock is entitled to one vote per share.
Year First
Eleet~l Directol Common ]?referred
L940 1,061 62
Alfred 17. Bowden Assistant to the President, The Amedca~
1951 150
Tobacco ~ompany
*Richard J. Boylan Vlce-Presldent, The Amerlca~Tahaeco ~929
2.135 B15
Cmnpany
Douglas W. Brashear Vice-President, Amcrieau Suppliers, 1948
220
Iacorporated
Thomas P, Cormora Director of Tra~e, Tile American 1946
174
Tnbacco Compaay
James K. Coert Vie¢-Presldent, The American TobacQo 1936
783 50
Company
John A. CrowQ Vlee-Preslde~t. ']The American Tobacco 1931
720 105
Company
John $. Dotal E*ecative VicePreslde~t, American 1946
400
Suppliers, Incorporated
Prestc*n L, Fowler Vice-Presidc~t, The Ameriea~ Tobacco 1941
720 100
Company
Paut M. Hahn President, The Amerieaa Tobacco 1931
2,504
Company
Hiram R. Hanmer Director of Research~ The American 193~
144
Tobacco Company
Edmund A. Harvey Vice.Pre~ideat, The American Tobacco 1932
800 40
Company
Harry L Hilyard Treasurer, 39m American Tobacco 1944
350
Company
Jahn B. Hutehlngs, Jr. Vice President, American Suppliers, 1951
200
lacorporated
A. LeRoy fanson Auditor, The American Tobacco 1948
518
Company
Y4Fdiiam II. Ogsbury Assistant Chief of Manulacture, The 1930
150 50
American Tobacco Company
Jame~ F. Stricldand President, American Suppliers. 1946
420
Incorporated
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors consists of seventeen members who are elected to ]told office until the
next
AnnttaI Meeting or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. It is the inteution of the
Proxy
Committee to vote at this Aunua~ Meeting for the nominees named below. These nominees constitute the
present Board and have served as director~ of the Company for the periods commeucahg with the da~s
set alter their respect~e names. The Company is informed that these nominees were directly or
indirectly
the beneficial owners of outstanding securities of the Company at the close of business on February
2, 1953~
as set forth after their respective names.
Nara~ P?[neipal Oc~u]Jatiou
Or oh~s D. BaxaIya ~ce-Prcsid~nt, The American Tobacco
Company of the Orient, Inc,

owners on February 2, 1953 of omstanding securities of subsidiaries of the Conlpany, other than
dirc~h~rs, '
qnalifying shares, as set forth after their respective names: Alfred F. Bowden, 50 shares of Compnon
Stock of American Cigarette and Cigar Company; Richard J. Boylan, 20 shares of Common Sto~'k of
American Cigarette and Cigar Company; James R. Coon, 5 shares of Preferred Stock of Amedcan
Cigarett~ and Cigar Company; John A. Crowe, 1 share of Common Stock of Cuban Tobacco Compa~Wlne.;
Preston L. Fowler, 1 share of Common Stock of Cuban Tobacco Company Inc.; Paul M. Hahn, 285 shares
of Common Stock of American Cigarette and Cigar Company; Hiram R. Hanmer, 1 share ol Conunon
Stock of Cuban Tobacco Company Inc.; Edmund A. Halwey, 28 shares o1 Common Stock of American
Cigarette and Cigar Company; Harry L. Hilyard, 1 share of Common Stock of Cuhart Tobaeco Company
Inc.; William H. Ogsbury, 2 shares of Common Stock of Ctthan Tobacco Company Irlz.
Although the Management does not contemplate the possthllity, in the event any nominee is not
a c~mdidate or is unable to serve as a director at the time of the election, it is intended that the
proxies
will be voted for any nominee who shall be desi~mted by the present Board of Directors to fill such
vacancy.
Information regarding the remuneration of directors is hereinafter set :[orth under the
caption
**Romtlnel-atioll~.
Proposal A
The Company is in~ornled tba[ Lewis D. Gilbert, whose address is 1165 Park Avenue, ]Yew York
28,
New York, J'ohn J. Gilbert, whose address is 1165 Park Avenue~ New York 28, New York, and John
Campbell Henry% whose address is 5 East 95rd Streeh New York, New York~ stockholders, intend to
introduce at the forthcoming Annual Meeting the-~ollowing resolution (designated herein as Proposal
A) :
"REsoLvED: That the stockholders hereby request die Board of Directors to take appropriate steps
to submit to stockholders an amendment to the Certificato of Incorporation pmvh]ing for cumu-
lative voting, that is to say that at all elections of directors, the stockholders shall have the
right of
cumulative voting, which means each shareholder shall be entkled to as many votes as shall equal
the number of directors to he elected multiplied by his shares o1 stock and he may cast all such
votes for a single dia~ctor or may distribute them among the number to he voted for~ or any two
or more of them as he may see fit.~
The proposers of this resolution, Messrs. Gilbert, Gilbert and IlemT, have furnished the
foIlo~vthg
slatement setting forth the reasnrls advanced by them in support o±" ti~eir proposal: "That many
Amerlcaz~
Tobacco owners do want independent, non-management directors oll their hoard was shown last year
when our similar proposal received lbo support of the holders of 251,O10 votes. It is also
interesting
to observe that Graham & Dodd, in 'Security Analysis,' third edition, McGlaw Hill, 3951, pagc 619,
indicate their questionnaire to the members of the New York Society of Secmdty Analysts showed they
favored cumulative voting by a two to one ratio. If you agree, mark your ballot FOR, or it will he
automatically casl against the proposal."
The same proposers introduced snhstantlally identical proposals at the last :Four Ammal
Meetings.
Each of these proposals was overwhelmingly rejected by the stocldlolders. At the 1952 Anntml
Meeting,
stockholders cast 5,326,4,13 votes t~pposed to dais proposal.
The long-contlnHed record of successful operation of the Company's business by directors giving
their entire time and effort to the service of the Company and its subsidiaries indicates, in the
opinion
3

of the Management, that the directors )lave managed the business in the interest of all the
stockholders
said that it would not be in the interest of the Company to initiate this amendment.
The Managemer~t reco~mends tht~t ?ot~ vote AGAINST Proposal A.
The Management is not aware at file date hereof of any other matter which is a proper suhject
for action that is intended to be presented at this meeting.
REMUNERATION
Remtzneratio~ o[ Directors and O~cers. There is set forth in the follo~vJng tabulation the
aggregate
remuneration, on an accrual basis, paid by the Company and its subsidiaries during its last fiscal
year
to the following persons for services in all capacities: each director and each of the three highest
paid
officers of the Company whose aggregate remuneration exceeded $25,000; and all directors and
¢,ffieers
of the Company as a group. Estimated annual retirement benefits to the same indlvldua[s at normal
retirement date under the ]Retirement Plan for employees adopted by the stockholders at the 19~19
Annual
Meeting are stated in Column (5).
(ll
Name ~I indlv~du~I
or identity ~ group
Orpheus D. Baxa~
Alfred ~ Bowden
Pdehard J. Boylan
Dougla~ W. Rra~ear
Thomas p. Connors
James R. Coon(h)
John A. Crowe(b)
John S. Dowd
Preston L. Fowler(b)
Paul M. Hahn(b)
Hiram R. Hanmer
Edmtmd A. Itarvey
12l
Capaeilies in wlaieh
remuneration ~as rc~:elve~
Vlee-Presldent and Managing Director,
The American 'J['oba¢co Compan'¢ of
the Orle,~h lne. (a)
Assistant tc~ the Pre~dent, The American 35,000
12,500
Tobacco Company
Vice-President and Director of Fur- 50,900 ~ 94,030.34
17~000
chases, The American Tobacco Com-
pany
Yiee.Prc~ident, American Suppliers, In- 45,t)00
14,584
corp~rated (a); General Ma~aager of
Sternmeries
Director of Trat~e, The AmeHca~ To- 34,000
11,575
hncco Company
Vice:Pr~dent and Comptroller, The 50,099 94,9~0.34
I7,000
Atnerican Tobacco Company
V~ce-Presldent and Assistant Chief o£ 50,009 94,930.3~
17,000
~vIanufacmre, The American Tobacco
Company
Executive Vice President, American Sup- 69,1300
]7,9gg
pliers, Incorporated (a)
V~ce-Pres~clent and Chief of Manufac- 50,900 94,~330.34
14,816
tur~ The American Tobacco Company
President, The Ar~ls~ican Tobacco Corn 120,000 1]7,53"L93
25,000
pany; Pre~degg American Cigarette
and Cigar Company
Director of Iiesearch, The American 40,~00
13,938
Tobacco Compaay
Vice-President in Charge of Sales, The 59,000 94,030.84
17~00
Ameriear~ To]3acco Company
(a) Al~Jiated company engaged in purchase and handling of ]ea~ to~0aeeo.
(b) Also offtser of a~tliated compa~xy or companies.
(5l
~stima~d
annual
retlr~roellt
benefit
(4) at normal
(3) Pa~iclpati,~n retlr~me~t
S~Imrle~ i~ profits date
$ 50,000 $]6,268

(5)
Estimated
~nttual
benefit
(1) (2)
(4) at normal
Name ~[ indlv~dua] Capacities in which (3) Participation
rcllrement
~r idenfi~y ot group remun~r~llon was recelve~i ~arle~ ~,~
~r~%~ date
Harry L. Hilyard(b/ Trea~urer~ The American Tobacco Corn- $ 5f~,000
$12,293
pauy
John R. Hutchings, It. Vice-President, A~nerlcan Suppliczs, In- 40,006
11,09.8
corporated (a)
A. LeRoy Jansoo Auditor, The American 'Yobacco Corn- 5~,000
15,669
pany
William IL OgsburyAaslstant Chief of Manufacture, The gffi000
17,000
Am~ican Tobacco Company
James F. Strlckland Presidet~t, American Suppliers, Inter- 75,00f)
16,476
poratcd (a]
Directors and O~ccrs Directozs and O~cers as a group 91ffi~00
$587,689.63
as a group
(g) A~Iiated company e~gaged in purchase and bandIing of Ieaf tobacco,
th) A~ ~,~ ~ mC~i~6 c~m~n7 vz ~om~i~.
The amounts stated Bt Column (4) above were accrued as incentive eompcnsatlon (ba~ed on amount
of Company profits), under Artiole XII of the By-Laws, as amended by vote of the stockholders at the
1951 Almual Meeting.
No amount was set aside or accrued :~or the Company's last fiscal year by Ihe Company and its
subsidiaries ~mder any pc~lo~, ret{rem¢~t or othe& deferred rtxz~neration plax~ 1~ the b~ue~t of
ar~?"
director or o~cer of the Company or for the directors and officers as a group.
The Retirement Plan for employees adopted by vote o{ the stockholders at the 1949 Annual
Meeting
co~ers approximately 19,100 regular i~]l-t;me employees of the Company and its subsidiaries.
The aggregate amount o1 remuneration for the fiscal year 1952, received from the Company and
its
subsidiaries, ddreetly or indirectly, oi~ an accrual basis, by all the directors and officers of the
Company a~
a group, was approximately fourteen one-hundredths of 1% of the Company's consolidated net sales.
31ISCELLA~NEOUS
Any stockholder making written request ~ere~r to the Secretary di the Company ~ill he ft~rdished at
summary of the Annual Meeting that will he prepared n~ter the meeting has h~en held.
Messrs. Lybr and, l~s ~s. & Montgomery have {or rcany 3"e~l:s heex~ the independent ~udltors
for the
Company, and are appointed by resolution of the I]oard of Directors. In accordance with the C.mpanyb
customary practice, a member of the firm of auditors will attend the Annual ~,ieeting and respond to
questions which may be asked by ~teckholders. Comments or snggestion~ by stockholders with regard to
the audit are welcomed, as they are with regard to all other matters aft'coting the Company's
interests.
Flemington, N. J'., is reached by the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The preser~t train schedule,
which
is subject to change and should be confirmed, is as ~ollows: Leave Pennsylvania Station (33rd Street
and Seventh Avenue, New York, N. Y.) 10:55 A. M. Arrive Flemington Jtmction 12:03 P. M. Leave
Flemington Junction 5:22 P. M. Arrive Pennsylvania Station 6:40 P. M. "fhe Compat~y will procure
trar~sgortation from iX~ew York to Fbmington by railroad and return by railroad or, i/expre.~sly
requeste~l±
5

return by bus, at Company expense for any stockholder of record desirous of attending the meeting,
on
his notifying the Secretary in writing at Ill Fifth Avenue, New York 3, New York, prior to March 28,
1953,
that he wishes such transportation obtained. It you do not plan to attend, you are urgently
requested to
execute the enclosed proxy and maiI it to the Company promptly.
Expense of Solicitation. The expense n{ tile sollcitadon of proxies for thi~ meeting, including
the
cost of mailing, will be borne by the Company. In additioa to mailing copies of this material to
stockho[ders,
the Company will request persons who hold stock in their names or custody or in the names of
nominees for
others, to forward copies of such material to those persons for whom they hold stock of the Company
and to
request authority for the execution of the proxies. The Company may reinthurse such pe~ons for their
out-of-pocket expcnses and clerlcal charges in connection therewith, which expenses are eslimated to
be
a}dout ~3,000. To the extenl necessary in order to assure sufficient representation at the meeting,
ofticers
and some regular employees of the Company and approximately 6 employees of Philip G. Cameron Com-
pany ~I1 request the return of proxies by telephone, telegram or in person, at an estimated cost of
about
$14,000. The amount of the expense to be borne by file Company will depend upon the wflume of shares
represented by the proxies received prornpt~x~ in response to the Notice of Meeting. If proxies are
not
received promptly, it may be necessary for the Company to send ~legraphic solicitatiort to those
stockholders
who have not responded. The expense of such telegraphic solicitation would be about $2,500.
Stockholders who do not intend to be l~resent at the Meetlng are urged to send in their Proxies
without
d~ heI ~ul, aM our cooleration will be aEpreeiated.
February 12, 1953.
