In Imperial Brand’s preliminary results for the reporting period which ended 30 September 2018, the company announced that tobacco and Next Generation Products (NGPs) net revenue increased by 2.1 per cent, even though total tobacco volume was 3.6 per cent down on last year.

Imperial shipped 255.5 billion sticks equivalents in 2018, down 3.6 per cent on the 265.2 billion shipped the previous year. The company, however, said it outperformed the wider tobacco industry volume decline of 5.0 per cent during this period due to an increase in growth brands volume by 2.1 per cent on last year with 162.9 billion units shipped.
Operating profit rose 5.7 per cent to GBP 2.40 billion (EUR 2.76 billion), Imperial reported.
Chief Executive, Alison Cooper, commented on the results saying, “Following our additional brand investment in tobacco over the past two years, we have increased growth brand volume, share and revenue in our priority markets. Our financial delivery was strong, with revenue and earnings growth, high cash generation and a further dividend increase of 10 per cent.
“This year’s results demonstrate the benefit of our investment in tobacco and NGP. In 2017, we invested an additional GBP 310 million in growth and specialist brands to improve market share and net revenue performance. The investment has strengthened our share position in many of our priority markets and enhanced our ability to deliver an improved top-line over the medium term."
In the future, the company said that it plans on continuing to invest in priority markets, its strongest brands and Next Generation Products (NGP). Imperial’s first heated tobacco product, Pulze, is set to be launched early 2019, the company said.