RJ Reynolds Tobacco (RJRT) market share for key brands including Newport, Camel and Pall Mall was nearly unchanged in 2016 at just below 30 per cent, said parent company Reynolds American.

Total RJRT market share at 32.3 per cent also was nearly changed. Total RJRT cigarette volume dipped 2.3 per cent in the last three months of 2016 to 19.6 billion sticks. For the year, RJRT volume rose by 8.1 billion sticks to 79.4 billion sticks, helped by the Lorillard acquisition.
Reynolds reiterated the merger with British American Tobacco was expected to close in the third quarter of 2017, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
Santa Fe Natural Tobacco volume rose 13.6 per cent last year to 5.4 billion sticks. The maker of Natural American Spirit accounted for 2.2 per cent of the US cigarette market in 2016. Moist-snuff volumes at Reynolds’ American Snuff subsidiary rose 0.8 per cent to 502.9 million cans. American Snuff products accounted for 33.4 per cent of the moist-snuff market.
Adjusted operating profit at Reynolds American rose by nearly one-third to USD 5.9 billion (EUR 5.3 billion) on sales that gained 17.1 per cent to USD 12.5 billion. The gains mostly were attributable to acquisition.
US industry volume in the final business quarter fell 4.2 per cent, according to Reynolds.