UST Inc.

{{Redirect|United States Tobacco|the general concept|Tobacco in the United States}}{{Distinguish|text=the American Tobacco Company}}{{Infobox company | name = UST Inc. | logo = UST logo.png | logo_size = 200px | successor = Altria | slogan = | foundation = 1986 | defunct = 2009 | location = Stamford, Connecticut, USA | key_people = Murray S. Kessler, Executive Chairman, CEO, President, & COO | industry = Tobacco products | products = Smokeless tobacco, wine | revenue = {{profit}}$1.48 billion USD (2007)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/UST/|title=UST : Summary for ProShares Ultra 7-10 Year Treas - Yahoo Finance|website=yahoo.com|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> | num_employees = 4,610 (2007)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=UST|title=UST Profile - ProShares Ultra 7-10 Year Treas Stock - Yahoo Finance|website=finance.yahoo.com|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> | homepage = }}

'''UST Inc.'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://articles.latimes.com/keyword/united-states-tobacco-co|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204095706/http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/united-states-tobacco-co|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 4, 2015|title=Articles about United States Tobacco Co - latimes|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> was a holding company,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/United_States_Smokeless_Tobacco_Company|title=United States Smokeless Tobacco Company - SourceWatch|website=www.sourcewatch.org|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> the biggest producer of snuff and chewing tobacco,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1996-05-19-9605190359-story.html|title=TOBACCO COMPANIES ARE LOUSY CORPORATE CITIZENS|first=Joan|last=Beck|website=Chicago Tribune|date=19 May 1996 |access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> whose subsidiaries included U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and International Wine & Spirits Ltd., which in turn is a holding company of Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, a vintner of premium wines. On January 6, 2009, UST Inc. was purchased by Altria.

==History== United States Tobacco Co. existed before the American Tobacco Co. acquisition. UST was founded as the United States Tobacco Co. in 1911, Richmond, Va.,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G5JBAQAAMAAJ&q=Richmond&pg=RA12-PA6|title=United States Tobacco Journal|date=13 October 2018|publisher=BMT Publications|access-date=13 October 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://morfauction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/auction_83.pdf | title=Investment Grade Collectibles at Auction | access-date=2024-01-19}}</ref> after the US Supreme Court dissolved the American Tobacco Company trust as a monopoly<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.tobacco.org/History/Tobacco_History.html|title=Tobacco History|first=Gene|last=Borio|date=13 October 2018|website=archive.tobacco.org|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> and in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890. Weyman-Bruton Company incorporates in 1911, acquires the United States Tobacco Company in 1921 and becomes the United States Tobacco Company in 1922,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.company-histories.com/UST-Inc-Company-History.html|title=UST Inc. -- Company History|website=www.company-histories.com|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.periodpaper.com/collections/tobacciana-tobacco-cigarette/products/1956-ad-united-states-tobacco-co-king-sano-cigarettes-original-advertising-087271-tm6-195|title=1956 Ad United States Tobacco Co King Sano Cigarettes - ORIGINAL ADVERTISING TM6|website=Period Paper|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> relocates from New York City<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ebay.com/itm/034-United-States-Tobacco-Co-034-Letterhead-Invoices-Copenhagen-amp-More-4-Invoices-/382082585478?nma=true&si=jrLF3%252B2EAuxlOXuUK6Me4xJ%252B5fU%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557|title="United States Tobacco Co." Letterhead Invoices Copenhagen & More 4 Invoices - eBay|website=eBay|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303496104575560490714962622|title=U.S. Tobacco's Chief Made Dipping Hip|first=Stephen|last=Miller|date=19 October 2010|access-date=13 October 2018|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053212 |pmid=27856998 |pmc=5433525 |title=Tobacco industry use of flavourings to promote smokeless tobacco products |journal=Tobacco Control |volume=25 |issue=Suppl 2 |pages=ii40–ii49 |year=2016 |last1=Kostygina |first1=Ganna |last2=Ling |first2=Pamela M. }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.periodpaper.com/collections/tobacciana-tobacco-cigarette/products/1942-ad-model-pipe-smoking-united-states-tobacco-wwii-navy-sailor-wartime-smoke-109368-lf4-394|title=1942 Ad Model Pipe Smoking United States Tobacco WWII Navy Sailor Wartime LF4|website=Period Paper|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> to Greenwich,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/09/07/US-Tobacco-boosts-price-on-chewing-tobacco/2569747374400/|title=U.S. Tobacco boosts price on chewing tobacco|website=upi.com|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> Connecticut in 1970, later<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.historical.waseca.mn.us/collection/artifacts?i=9345|title=1.87.168 - Can, Tobacco (9345) - Artifacts from our Collection - Waseca County History Center|website=www.historical.waseca.mn.us|access-date=13 October 2018|archive-date=13 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013093454/https://www.historical.waseca.mn.us/collection/artifacts?i=9345|url-status=dead}}</ref> creating the holding company in 1986. The company is incorporated in Delaware, and in the fall of 2006 announced it would move its headquarters from Greenwich, Connecticut to Stamford, Connecticut.

In 1959, United States Tobacco Company bought Circus Foods, Inc. of San Francisco, which, in 1956, acquired the Euclid Candy Company, whose candy bars were ''Love Nest'', ''Full of Almonds'', ''Red Cap'' and ''Cardinal''.<ref name="nytimes/1959/tobacco-candy">{{cite news |title=Acquisition Set By U. S. Tobacco; Holders of Circus Foods, Candy Maker, to Vote on Proposed Sale |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1959/06/11/archives/acquisition-set-by-u-s-tobacco-holders-of-circus-foods-candy-maker.html |access-date=10 May 2026 |work=The New York Times |date=11 June 1959}}</ref>

It operated a video company Cabin Fever Entertainment, which was in existence for ten years from 1988 to 1998,<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=1988-08-13|title=...newsline...|page=108|magazine=Billboard|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1988/1988-08-13-Billboard-Page-0108.pdf|access-date=2022-01-08}}</ref> as well as a video branch Razzmatazz Entertainment, which was in operation from 1996 to 1998 mostly to release kids videos,<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Applefield Olsen|first=Catherine|date=1996-08-17|title=Home Video|page=66|magazine=Billboard|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1996/1996-08-17-Billboard-Page-0066.pdf|access-date=2022-01-08}}</ref> and feature film distributor Cabin Fever Films, which was mainly used to distribute feature films for the theatrical market.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sandler |first=Adam |date=1993-11-05 |title=Feature fever hits vid's Cabin |url=https://variety.com/1993/film/news/feature-fever-hits-vid-s-cabin-115643/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1998, both video subsidiaries were folded into Hallmark Home Entertainment.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Goldstein|first=Seth|date=1998-03-21|title=Handleman Loses Handle On Video; Hallmark Gets A Case Of Cabin Fever|page=91|magazine=Billboard|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1998/1998-03-21-Billboard-Page-0091.pdf|access-date=2022-01-08}}</ref>

In 2005, UST was among 53 entities that contributed the maximum of $250,000 to the second inauguration of President George W. Bush.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Drinkard |title=Donors get good seats, great access this week |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-01-16-inauguration-donors_x.htm |work=USA Today |date=2005-01-17 |access-date=2008-05-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Financing the inauguration |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-01-16-inaugural-donors_x.htm |work=USA Today |date= 2005-01-16|access-date=2008-05-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Some question inaugural's multi-million price tag |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-01-14-price_x.htm |work=USA Today |date=2005-01-14 |access-date=2008-05-25 }}</ref>

UST reported having an average of 5,111 employees in 2005. That year, UST had a $534 million profit on sales of $1.85 billion.

On November 2, 2006, UST promoted president and chief operating officer Murray S. Kessler to chief executive officer effective January 1, 2007. Vincent Gierer Jr., who had been CEO since 1993, remained chairman of the board of directors.

UST manufactures smokeless tobacco in Nashville, Tennessee; Hopkinsville, Kentucky; and Franklin Park, Illinois. It also owns vineyards in Washington state and California.

UST held 62.4 percent of the smokeless tobacco market as of the third quarter of 2006, according to an Oct. 26, 2006 report by Morningstar. UST's primary competitors include the American Snuff Company subsidiary of Reynolds American, and Swedish Match.

Effective January 6, 2009, Altria acquired all outstanding shares of UST Inc. (UST), shareholders of UST are entitled to receive $69.50 in cash without interest and less any applicable withholding tax, for each share of common stock held at the effective time of the merger.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wayback Machine has not archived that URL. |access-date=2023-04-12 |url=http://investor.altria.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=80855&p=maOverview}}{{dl|date=April 2023}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Tobacco companies of the United States Category:Holding companies of the United States Category:Holding companies established in 1986 Category:2009 mergers and acquisitions Category:Companies based in Stamford, Connecticut Category:Altria subsidiaries