Altria, which owns Philip Morris USA, Philip Morris International and about 85 percent of Kraft Foods Inc., faces three major tobacco lawsuits that have dragged down its stock price roughly 14 percent since March. Shares of Altria jumped $4.23, or 8.46 percent, to $54.23 on news that the company may separate into two or three units once tobacco lawsuit hurdles are cleared. Analysts have long anticipated that Altria would spin off Kraft, the maker of Oscar Mayer bologna and Ritz crackers, but Camilleri's comments yesterday were the strongest signal the company has made yet about a spinoff. Analysts have also said the company could split up its U.S. and international tobacco businesses. A spinoff of Kraft would remove the shadow of litigation being cast on the country's leading foodmaker, whose declining profitability has hurt Altria's earnings. Kraft Foods has struggled in recent months as consumers have forsaken Oreo cookies and other snacks amid the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets.