Imperial Tobacco - Full Year Results Interview With CEO and FD

LONDON, October 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

In a video interview with financial broadcaster http://www.cantos.com, Imperial Tobacco Chief Executive Alison Cooper discusses the company's full-year results, revealing that revenues grew by 4% for the year. She highlights the strength of performance from the four key strategic brands - Davidoff, Gauloises, JPS  and West - with revenues up 13% on the back of 7% volume growth.

While she acknowledges the EU market is 'tough', the current environment presents an opportunity for Imperial Tobacco.

"If I take Spain as an example, we grew profits by 6% this year.  That is absolutely about getting the consumer understanding right, applying that understanding in cigarettes, in fine cut and cigar, where we're growing share, and combined with our pricing strategies and our customer engagement that's really what's supporting the growth in that market and realising opportunities in other EU markets in 2012 and looking forward."

She also engages with the regulation issue and underlines that there is sometimes a disconnect between perception and reality.

"If you take something like display bans, over the last decade only two markets a year have actually introduced a display ban across the globe.  If you then look at plain packaging, where the legislative hurdles are a lot higher, that's going to be a lot slower in terms of its progress globally."

Looking forward she reiterates the company's focus on its strategy and commitment to growth.

In an accompanying interview Robert Dyrbus, Finance Director, gives some detail around the impairment charge which was announced in the results, gives an update on the net debt situation and reiterates Imperial Tobacco's commitment to shareholder returns.

The interview and transcript are available now at http://bit.ly/TSd9uq.

MerchantCantos produces in-depth interviews, documentaries and webcasts with senior company executives. If you would like to contact us, please email prnsupport@merchantcantos.com or phone 44-207-936-1352.