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Ahead of the Bell: Altria downgraded due to 2009 risks  

A JPMorgan analyst thinks taxes and government regulation could hurt Altria's profit in 2009, and he downgraded the cigarette maker's shares.

Erik Bloomquist cut his rating to "Neutral" from "Overweight" and removed the stock from a list of recommended securities. While he expects Altria to reach the high end of its profit estimate this year, he said an increase in the federal cigarette tax and greater Food and Drug Administration regulations are likely.

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