Universal Corporation

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Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) is one of the world's leading tobacco merchants and a leading distributor of building products in the Netherlands. Incorporated in 1918, Universal has headquarters in Richmond, Virginia, in the United States.

[edit] Current operations

Universal buys and sells flue-cured and burley tobacco, tea, sunflower seeds, and other agricultural products. It also holds a 49% interest in Socotab, LLC, a large dealer in oriental leaf tobaccos. The company does not manufacture cigarettes or other consumer tobacco products, although its largest customer is Altria Group (owner of the Philip Morris tobacco companies).

Universal common stock is part of the S&P 400 MidCap index.

[edit] Early history

After the 1911 breakup of the American Tobacco Company trust, Jacquelin (sic) P. Taylor incorporated Universal out of six formerly independent leaf merchants.