Japan Tobacco International (JTI) shipments of global flagship brands including Winston and Camel rose 10.7 per cent in the first quarter, helped by increased market share in Europe and Taiwan, the company said.

Acquisitions boosted total shipment volume, which gained 7.1 per cent to 94.4 billion sticks, including fine-cut. Global flagship brands accounted for 66.4 billion stick equivalents, JTI said. Sales rose 4.2 per cent, however unfavourable currency movements reduced adjusted operating profit 2.1 per cent to USD 863 million (EUR 753 million).
Parent company Japan Tobacco said profit from its domestic tobacco business rose 15.4 per cent to JPY 65.7 billion (EUR 539 million) as sales gained 7.4 per cent. Domestic volume at 27.2 billion sticks represented a gain of 6.7 per cent.
“Although the significant volume growth reported by the international tobacco business in this quarter is favourably impacted by recent acquisitions, our business momentum remains solid,” said JT Chief Executive Officer Mitsuomi Koizumi. JT recently acquired the non-US business of Santa Fe Natural Tobacco, the Reynolds American subsidiary that makes American Spirit.