Swedish Match: Full Year Report January - December 2019

STOCKHOLM, Feb. 12, 2020

Record year for sales and operating profit from product segments           

• In local currencies, sales increased by 15 percent for the fourth quarter and by 8 percent for the full year. Reported sales increased by 19 percent to 3,933 MSEK (3,301) for the fourth quarter and by 14 percent to 14,739 MSEK (12,966) for the full year.           
• In local currencies, operating profit from product segments¹⁾ increased by 18 percent for the fourth quarter and by 13 percent for the full year. Reported operating profit from product segments increased by 22 percent to 1,525 MSEK (1,246) for the fourth quarter and by 18 percent to 5,828 MSEK (4,936) for the full year.           
• Operating profit, which includes a non-cash impairment charge of 367 MSEK related to the European chewing tobacco business (see Note 5), amounted to 1,098 MSEK (1,196) for the fourth quarter and to 5,307 MSEK (4,812) for the full year.           
• Profit after tax amounted to 756 MSEK (925) for the fourth quarter and to 3,896 MSEK (3,578) for the full year.           
• Earnings per share amounted to 4.62 SEK (5.41) for the fourth quarter and to 23.22 SEK (20.63) for the full year. Adjusted earnings per share increased by 26 percent to 6.81 SEK (5.41) for the fourth quarter and by 23 percent to 25.41 SEK (20.63) for the full year.           
• ZYN available in approximately 67,000 stores in the US, and average sales per store continued to increase sequentially.           
• The Board proposes an increased dividend of 12.50 SEK per share.           
• The outlook for 2020 can be found on page 13.

1) Excludes Other operations and larger one-time items.

For the full report: www.swedishmatch.com/Investors/Financial-reports/Interim-reports/

Swedish Match telephone conference

A telephone conference will be held today, Wednesday, February 12 at 2:00 p.m. (CET), (1:00 p.m. UK time). At this time we will review and comment on the results. Participants will include Lars Dahlgren, Thomas Hayes, and Emmett Harrison.

Listen to the telephone conference: www.swedishmatch.com/Investors/Presentations/Webcasts-and-audiocasts/

Telephone conference presentation: www.swedishmatch.com/Investors/Presentations/