Swedish Match reports sales increase

Swedish Match’s sales for the year to the end of December, at SEK12,486 million, were up by seven per cent on those of 2011.

And sales during the fourth quarter of 2012, at SEK3,148 million, were up by three per cent on those of the fourth quarter of 2011.

Calculated in local currencies, sales for the full year increased by six per cent and for the fourth quarter by four per cent.

Operating profit from product areas (excluding net profit from SM’s share in STG and larger one off items) for the full year increased by nine per cent to SEK3,666 million, while fourth-quarter operating profit from product areas fell by two per cent to SEK883 million. In local currencies, operating profit from product areas for the full year increased by eight per cent and was flat for the fourth quarter.

Operating profit (including net profit from SM’s share in STG and larger one off items) amounted to SEK4,062 million for the full year 2012, up from SEK3,702 million in 2011, and to SEK986 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, down from SEK1,022 million during the fourth quarter of 2011.

Basic earnings per share increased for the full year by 18 per cent to SEK14.33 and for the fourth quarter by 15 per cent to SEK3.93.