Reynolds American (RAI) tightened its forecast earnings growth for 2015 by two percentage points following strong key-brand performance's hike in third-quarter results. The company expects earnings growth for the full year within a range of 13-17 per cent over 2014 adjusted earnings, the company said.

Cigarette shipment volumes of RJ Reynolds Tobacco, including Camel, Newport, and Pall Mall, rose by 30.2 per cent to 21.1 billion units in the third-quarter. 8.8 billion Newport units helped to offset volume declines of 3.2 per cent for Camel and 6.9 per cent for Pall Mall. With shipments of RAI subsidiary Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company's flagship brand Natural American Spirit up 19.3 per cent, key-brand performance with the addition of Newport helped to boost total RAI operating companies’ volumes by 29.5 per cent to 22.3 billion units in the third-quarter.
“With a successful third-quarter and nine months now behind it, RAI has tightened its adjusted earnings growth for the full year to a range of 13 percent to 17 percent over 2014’s adjusted earnings,” the company said.
Third-quarter sales, including Newport and excluding the Winston, KOOL and Salem brands for the period 12 June-30 Sept 2015, rose by 41.1 per cent to USD 3.1 billion (EUR 2.8 billion). Operating income rose by 48.5 per cent to USD 1.2 billion.