MO vs ELV Comparison

Altria comprises Philip Morris USA, US Smokeless Tobacco, John Middleton, Horizon Innovations, and Helix Innovations. Through its tobacco subsidiaries, Altria maintains the leading position in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the United States and the number-two spot in machine-made cigars. The company's Marlboro brand is the leading cigarette brand in the US with 42% annual share in 2024. Beyond its core business, it holds an 8% interest in the world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev and a 41% stake in cannabis manufacturer Cronos. It also acquired vaping company Njoy Holdings in 2023 and operates a joint venture with Japan Tobacco in the heated tobacco category.

Elevance Health remains one of the leading health insurers in the US, providing medical benefits to 46 million medical members as of December 2024. The company offers employer, individual, and government-sponsored coverage plans. Elevance differs from its peers in its unique position as the largest single provider of Blue Cross Blue Shield branded coverage, operating as the licensee for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association in 14 states. Through acquisitions, such as the Amerigroup deal in 2012 and MMM in 2021, Elevance's reach expands beyond those states through government-sponsored programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans, too. It is also an emerging player in pharmacy benefit management and other healthcare services.