Philip Morris International (PMI) shipping volume rose 5.4 per cent to 219 billion sticks in the first quarter.

When stripped of the impact of acquisitions, was this the best quarterly performance since March, 2008, the company said.
Asian shipping volume growth at 12.4 per cent to 81 billion units was the only region where percentage growth was in double digits. The number two growth region was Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa at 3.6 per cent, or 66 billion sticks. Volume in the European Union declined 1.5 per cent to 48 billion sticks.
Operating companies income rose 13.4 per cent to USD 3.5 billion (EUR 2.7 billion) in the three months ending 31 March.
PMI, which was spun off from the US Philip Morris unit in March, 2008, claims 28.1 per cent of the global cigarette market outside the US and excluding China. (ci)