New York  - US tabacco company Altria, whose brands include Marlboro, said Thursday second-quarter profits rose after it spun-off its international operations on higher cigarette costs in the United States.

Earnings rose 30 per cent to 930 million dollars over year-earlier earnings excluding international operations. Revenue rose 4 per cent to 5.1 billion dollars, the Richmond, Virginia-based company said.

Altria spun-off its international operations into a separate firm, Philip Morris International, in late March. Altria is now only responsible for the US market, while the new firm based in Switzerland manages all international operations, in a move designed to protect it from US tobacco law suits.

Altria brands include Marlboro, Parliament and Virginia Slims, and is the clear US market leader. (dpa)