![A Juul starter kit is seen at a smoke shop in New York on December 20, 2018. Altria, one of the world's biggest tobacco companies, is spending nearly $13 billion to buy a huge stake in the vape company Juul as cigarette use continues to decline. [Photo: AP]](http://img1.zhytuku.meldingcloud.com/images/zhycms_chinaplus/20181229/938abb50-c84d-4541-8286-53c72f9c6f62.jpg?x-oss-process=image/resize,w_650)
U.S. vape company Juul Labs Inc. is soon to have a staff of millionaires after the company decided to give each of its employees hefty bonuses of $1.3 million USD each, according to vox.com.
The decision is thanks to the deal made by Altria, one of the world’s biggest tobacco companies, which is spending nearly $13 billion USD to buy a huge stake in Juul as cigarette use continues to decline.
The amount due to each employee depends on how long they have been with the company and how much stock they own.
![Packages of Juul electronic cigarettes are seen on display at Urge, a smoke shop in Hoboken, N.J., December 20, 2018. [Photo: AP]](http://img2.zhytuku.meldingcloud.com/images/zhycms_chinaplus/20181229/2d2c3379-b668-4af0-a98f-31d53cc1d111.jpg?x-oss-process=image/resize,w_650)
The purchase of Juul Labs Inc. stake by Altria has valued the company a staggering $38 billion USD, which is more valuable than Airbnb and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Bloomberg News reports.
Juul Labs Inc. manufactures and markets e-cigarettes. It offers a temperature regulation system to heat nicotine-based liquid to an ideal level, which is designed to avoid burning. Its products include device kits, JUULpods, and accessories in different flavors.
