Imperial Brands' sales boosted by European e-cigarette demand

On May 17th, according to a report by Reuters, Imperial Brands stated on Tuesday that it is expected to achieve its annual goal due to strong sales of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products in Europe. This has pushed its stock price to its highest point in over two years.

In early trading, shares of Winston cigarettes and Backwoods cigar maker rose nearly 7%, making it the second-best performing company in the STOXX Europe 600 Euro Price Index (.STOXX).

Susannah Streeter, senior investment and market analyst at UK investment services company Hargreaves Lansdown, stated: "Investors seem to be breathing a sigh of relief as the company looks set to meet its annual guidance figures, due to its shift towards a five-year strategy focusing on tobacco alternatives.

After years of slow growth and market share loss, CEO Stefan Bomhard of Empire Company has developed a turnaround plan for 2021 focusing on its top five markets and expanding the next generation products (NGP) believed to pose lesser health hazards. These five markets - the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and Australia - collectively account for over 70% of Empire Company's revenue.

Last week, Philip Morris International, a competitor of the Imperial Group, acquired Swedish Match, a smaller competitor, for $16 billion. This highlights the urgency of cigarette manufacturers in developing new and potential low-risk alternative products.

Driven by demand in Europe, sales of the next generation brands of the Empire, including Pulze heated tobacco and blu e-cigarettes, grew by 8.7%, reaching £101 million ($126 million). In November, the company reported that losses from the business had reduced by over 50%.

The Empire Company also stated that its recent withdrawal from Russia did not include terms that would allow it to buy back its business in the future, as Western companies were eager to leave the country after the invasion of Ukraine.

Imperial Company stated in April that investors in Russia were purchasing its business there, which contributes approximately 2% to the company's annual net sales, if merged with Ukraine.

During Tuesday's financial report conference call, executives stated that the deal had been finalized with "absolutely no repurchase terms included.

On Monday, French car manufacturer Renault announced that it will be selling the majority of its shares in automaker Avtovaz to a Russian scientific research institute for reportedly only 1 ruble, with a buyback option for Renault within 6 years. This move leaves open the possibility of Renault's return to the Russian market.

On Tuesday, the Empire Company reported that its adjusted net revenue for the six months ending on March 31 was approximately £3.5 billion, a 0.3% increase in fixed currency. Adjusted earnings per share also rose from 107 pence to 113 pence compared to last year.

Source: Reuters

Imperial Brands has announced that its sales for the first half of the financial year remained flat, according to a report from Reuters. The tobacco company reported revenue of £3.45 billion ($4.87 billion), which was in line with analysts' expectations. Despite the steady sales figures, the company expressed confidence in its long-term growth prospects and its ability to deliver on its strategic goals. The report also noted that Imperial Brands' rival, British American Tobacco, had reported a 3% decline in its first-quarter revenue due to pandemic-related disruptions.