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Category: Business & Finance

  • PMJ Launches First IQOS Capsule

    PMJ Launches First IQOS Capsule

    Philip Morris Japan launched its first capsule-equipped cigarette stick, the “Sentia Purple Capsule,” for the IQOS ILUMA heated tobacco series on March 2. Initially available at IQOS stores nationwide, the rollout at convenience stores and other tobacco retailers begins April 6, with the Nagoya IQOS store relocating on March 7.

    The capsule product features blueberry-flavored capsules with invigorating menthol, allowing users to release a burst of menthol and blueberry aroma by crushing the capsule. The product’s purple color reflects the blueberry inspiration. This addition brings the SENTIA lineup to 18 brands, including regular, menthol, flavored, and capsule variants.

    The price is 530 yen ($3.34) per 20-stick pack, rising to 570 yen ($3.59) from April 1. Daniel Sevsick, Philip Morris Japan’s portfolio marketing director, highlighted that this is SENTIA’s first menthol capsule product.

  • BAT and McLaren Collaborate on Limited Edition Glo

    BAT and McLaren Collaborate on Limited Edition Glo

    British American Tobacco Japan announced that it has teamed up with McLaren Racing to launch the “glo Hilo Plus McLaren Racing-inspired limited edition set,” available from March 3 at glo Store Ginza and glo’s online store.

    This premium collection features a limited-edition glo Hilo Plus device with McLaren’s signature papaya colors inside the device and on the charging case slide, along with exclusive glo and McLaren logos. The charging case also offers a rubberized grip for stability and a brushed metal finish that reflects motorsports engineering aesthetics.

    The set includes a special Alcantara sleeve, a limited-design charging dock, and a warranty card confirming its limited-edition status, all packaged in a dedicated box. It is priced at 30,000 yen ($189).

  • JTI Refreshes Nordic Spirit Look

    JTI Refreshes Nordic Spirit Look

    Today (March 3), JTI UK unveiled a refreshed brand identity for its Nordic Spirit nicotine pouches, introducing “striking new packaging” designed to enhance shelf visibility and provide clearer guidance for adult nicotine users. Inspired by the “North Star,” the updated packs — now live across JTI360 and rolling out in stores — feature Dry or Moist indicators for slower or faster nicotine release, alongside a six-dot strength system ranging from 6mg to 17mg. Each can contains 20 pouches and includes a compartment for used pouches, with recyclable polypropylene packaging.

    The refresh follows the launch of Nordic Spirit Frosty Mint Max and comes as the UK nicotine pouch category grows to £15.9 million per month. Brand Lead Manager James Richards said the redesign aims to improve shelf standout and help retailers better guide customers, while maintaining the same product quality and flavor range. The brand’s Moist Range was also named Product of the Year 2026 in the Nicotine Pouch category, marking its third major award in five years and reinforcing its position in the expanding UK market.

  • Turning Point Reports 31% Profit Increase for FY25

    Turning Point Reports 31% Profit Increase for FY25

    Turning Point Brands, Inc. reported strong growth in Q4 2025, driven by its Modern Oral category, which saw net sales surge 266% to $41.3 million, now accounting for 34% of total company net sales compared with 12% in Q4 2024. Total consolidated net sales rose 29.2% to $121.0 million, with Stoker’s segment up 69.5% and Zig-Zag segment down 12.8%. Adjusted EBITDA increased 14% to $30.0 million, while net income climbed 239.8% to $8.2 million. For the full year, consolidated net sales rose 28.4% to $463.1 million, with net income up 46.1% to $58.2 million and adjusted EBITDA up 14.4% to $119.5 million. CEO Graham Purdy highlighted strong performance from FRE and ALP brands, emphasizing Modern Oral as a key driver for long-term category share growth while legacy brands continue to generate reliable cash flows.

    The company said it is well-prepared for FY 2026, expecting Modern Oral gross revenue of $220–$240 million and net revenue of $180–$190 million, with Q1 2026 adjusted EBITDA projected at $24–$27 million, inclusive of marketing and trade investments. Stoker’s segment continues to lead sales at 67% of the total, driven by triple-digit Modern Oral growth, while Zig-Zag’s 33% contribution reflects declines due to the planned wind-down of Clipper products. TPB has strengthened operational systems, including digital tracking and FDA compliance support, and maintains liquidity of $290.1 million, comprising $222.8 million in cash and $68.1 million in asset-backed credit.

  • Ethical Holdings to Produce 8M Cigarettes per Month

    Ethical Holdings to Produce 8M Cigarettes per Month

    Zimbabwe’s Ethical Holdings will begin producing cigarettes under a toll manufacturing arrangement with a Chinese partner, a move aimed at boosting local beneficiation and maximizing export earnings from the golden leaf. The initiative aligns with the government’s Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan, which emphasizes shifting from raw leaf exports to high-value local manufacturing.

    Already a major player in tobacco farming and leaf processing, Ethical Holdings will produce 8 million sticks per month, marking its transition into a fully integrated tobacco company controlling the full value chain from primary production and auctioning to finished products. General Manager Tendai Ngongoni said the move supports national value-addition goals.

  • KT&G to Launch ‘Reel Able 3.0’ in Seoul

    KT&G to Launch ‘Reel Able 3.0’ in Seoul

    KT&G said it will introduce its latest cigarette-type heated tobacco device, the Reel Able 3.0, tomorrow (Feb. 28) at four locations in the Seoul metropolitan area. The new model features significantly reduced charging and preheating times, with a full charge completed in about one hour — half the time of its predecessor — and a preheating time shortened by 10 seconds.

    The device retains key Reel Able functions such as pause during use, selectable usage modes and support for three consecutive sessions. For the first time in the series, KT&G has applied metal materials and curved edges to enhance grip and design, alongside an AMOLED display showing remaining usage counts and mode settings. Reel Able 3.0 will debut in four colors, with Oud Gray and Platinum Silver released first at a retail price of 68,000 won ($47). The company said the launch supports its strategy to reinforce leadership in the heated tobacco segment through differentiated product upgrades.

  • Altria Declares $1.06 Quarterly Dividend

    Altria Declares $1.06 Quarterly Dividend

    Altria Group, Inc. today (Feb. 26) announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $1.06 per share, payable on April 30, to shareholders of record as of March 25. The ex-dividend date is March 25.

  • Turning Point Brands Increases Stock Dividend

    Turning Point Brands Increases Stock Dividend

    The Board of Directors of Turning Point Brands, Inc. declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.08 per common share. This is a 7% increase over the regular quarter dividend declared in November 2025. The dividend is payable on April 10, to shareholders of record on the close of business on March 20.

  • KT&G First to Cancel Shares Under Revised Act

    KT&G First to Cancel Shares Under Revised Act

    KT&G said it will cancel 10.9 million treasury shares worth approximately 2 trillion won ($1.4 billion), becoming the first company to act under South Korea’s newly revised Commercial Act requiring the retirement of treasury stock within set deadlines. The board-approved cancellation, equal to about 9.5% of outstanding shares, will be put to shareholders on March 26 alongside bylaw amendments to strengthen governance, including provisions for electronic shareholder meetings and expanded audit committee representation. The move builds on KT&G’s 3.7 trillion won ($2.6 billion) shareholder return program launched in 2024, under which the company has already retired 19.2 million shares and returned more than 2.3 trillion won ($1.6 billion) through dividends and buybacks.

  • Atlas IoT Gets USPTO Grant for Age-Restricted Vape Technology

    Atlas IoT Gets USPTO Grant for Age-Restricted Vape Technology

    Atlas IoT announced that it secured a patent grant from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for an age-restricted device and system designed for electronic nicotine delivery systems, positioning the technology as a potential pathway to strengthen regulatory compliance and support broader adult-focused flavor approvals. The company’s standalone system uses AI-powered age verification to confirm users are 21 or older without requiring app downloads or storing personal data, followed by a one-time thumbprint enrollment that serves as the device’s unlocking mechanism. A secondary bioimpedance sensor embedded in the mouthpiece is designed to prevent use by minors, creating a dual-verification process intended to block unauthorized access.

    Atlas IoT said it has requested a Q-Submission meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to discuss a Component Premarket Tobacco Product Application covering the device’s core technology, with plans to partner with e-liquid manufacturers that would file their own PMTAs for compliant flavored pods. The company also emphasized domestic manufacturing and FDA-registered filling operations for its replaceable pods, contrasting its compliance-focused model with the illicit disposable vape market. Atlas IoT said that, if authorized, its platform could establish a new standard for age-restricted ENDS products in the regulated U.S. market.