Elliott Investment opposes Swedish Match's acquisition by Philip Morris International

Jul.11.2022
Elliott Investment opposes Swedish Match's acquisition by Philip Morris International
Elliott Investment Management is opposing the sale of Swedish Match AB to Philip Morris for $16 billion.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Elliott Investment Management is building a stake in Swedish Match AB. Swedish Match AB is a smokeless tobacco company that has agreed to be sold to Philip Morris International for $16 billion.


According to insiders, a US activist investor is reportedly planning to oppose the current terms of the deal and has requested that their identity remains confidential. Swedish Match had previously agreed in May to be acquired by PhiMo International.


A representative of Elliott declined to comment. Representatives from Swedish Match and Fempro International were unable to be reached for immediate comment.


On Friday, the stock price of Swedish Match increased by 1.7%, causing the company's market value to reach 161.3 billion kronor ($15.2 billion).


This transaction is subject to many conditions, including Fimo International acquiring over 90% of Swedish Match's shares through a bid, unless it chooses to waive this condition. At the end of last year, AstraZeneca Plc withheld 8% of Biovitrum AB's shares from its acquisition by Advent International and Singapore's GIC Pte, effectively preventing the purchase for $7.6 billion, highlighting the impact of opposition from major shareholders.


Freeze shares.


According to analyst Mads Rosendal of Danske Bank A/S, it is unlikely that Elliott will be able to acquire a large enough stake in Swedish Match to single-handedly block the deal.


In a research report on Friday, he wrote, "Even if they successfully block this transaction, it may not be detrimental to Swedish Match's profitability.


According to Rosendal, if the original agreement is reached, Swedish Match would be better off from a financial and credit rating perspective, but would suffer damage in terms of environmental, social, and governance considerations.


The Swedish Match deal is one of the biggest transactions this year, pushing FeiMo International into the fiercely competitive market for oral nicotine products, many of which are very different from traditional chewing tobacco.


Swedish Match is a prominent manufacturer of snuff, a tobacco product that users place between their upper lip and gum. It is popular in Sweden but banned in other parts of Europe. The company also produces nicotine pouches known as ZYN.


In recent years, Elliot Management Corporation, run by billionaire Paul Singer, has been concerned with the changes taking place in some of the world's largest and most well-known companies, including Twitter, Canadian National Railway and American multinational conglomerate AT&T. In Europe, the company last year drove the transformation of pharmaceutical firm GSK Plc and energy company SSE Plc.


I'm sorry, as an AI language model, I already operate and communicate in standard journalistic English. If you have a specific sentence or text that you want me to translate, please provide it.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

Exclusive | China Starts Mandatory National Standards Process for Heated Cigarettes and Nicotine Pouches
Exclusive | China Starts Mandatory National Standards Process for Heated Cigarettes and Nicotine Pouches
China has launched mandatory national standards work for heated cigarettes and nicotine pouches, further formalizing regulation of both categories. The move may help lay groundwork for future market entry, but does not signal imminent domestic commercialization.
Apr.15
Sweden Becomes First EU Country to Reach Smoke-Free Status as Daily Smoking Falls to 4.8%
Sweden Becomes First EU Country to Reach Smoke-Free Status as Daily Smoking Falls to 4.8%
According to the latest CAN report and multiple media reports, Sweden’s daily smoking rate fell to 4.8% in 2025, below the commonly used 5% smoke-free threshold, making it the first EU country to reach that benchmark.
News
Jun.05
Philip Morris Korea Names Lee Hong-seok as New CEO Effective May 1
Philip Morris Korea Names Lee Hong-seok as New CEO Effective May 1
Philip Morris Korea said on April 29 that it has appointed Lee Hong-seok, head of its smoke-free products division, as its new chief executive officer, with his term beginning on May 1. Yoon Hee-kyung, who took office in 2023, will step down after about three years in the role.
Apr.30 by 2FIRSTS.ai
KT&G Launches Two New lil AIBLE Dedicated Sticks as Aim Portfolio Expands to 13
KT&G Launches Two New lil AIBLE Dedicated Sticks as Aim Portfolio Expands to 13
KT&G said on April 20 that it has launched two new “AIIM” sticks for its lil AIBLE heated tobacco device at convenience stores nationwide in South Korea. The new products are “AIIM CHANGE UP” and “AIIM COOL SHOT.” The company said the products were developed based on the existing lil SOLID dedicated sticks “Fiit Change Up” and “Fiit Cool Shot.” With the launch, the Aim lineup for lil AIBLE has expanded to 13 products.
Apr.20 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Multi-State Coalition Urges F1 to End Nicotine Sponsorships, Citing Zyn and Velo
Multi-State Coalition Urges F1 to End Nicotine Sponsorships, Citing Zyn and Velo
Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez is co-leading a coalition of 19 states and jurisdictions urging the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Formula 1 to end sponsorships involving tobacco and nicotine products, including nicotine pouch brands such as Zyn and Velo.
News
Jun.09
South Korea’s Cigarette Smoking Rate Falls to 17.9%, E-Cigarette Use Continues to Rise
South Korea’s Cigarette Smoking Rate Falls to 17.9%, E-Cigarette Use Continues to Rise
Data released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) showed South Korea’s conventional cigarette smoking rate fell to 17.9% in 2025, while heated tobacco and liquid e-cigarette use continued to rise, particularly among young adults and women.
Jun.01