Japan Tobacco International (JTI) said flagship-brand shipments rose 5.8 per cent in the three months ending 30 Sept., driven by demand in Russia, the Middle East, Italy and Poland.

Shipment volume of the eight global flagship brands rose to 70.6 billion sticks in the third quarter, although total volume was almost unchanged at 114.7 billion units, JTI said in a statement on 31 Oct. Among key brands, Winston shipments rose 10.1 per cent and LD increased 14.6 per cent. Camel shipments declined 2 per cent and Mild Seven decreased by 5.2 per cent. Comparisons are with the third business quarter of 2010.
Higher prices and flagship-brand volume helped push core net sales to USD 3.1 billion in the third quarter, a gain of 19.3 per cent. In the first nine months of 2011, sales increased 12.8 per cent to USD 8.5 billion. Nine-month flagship-brand volume rose 4.1 per cent within total volume that was nearly unchanged at 319.6 billion sticks. (ci)