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FACTBOX-Key facts on Imperial and Altadis
(Reuters) - Imperial Tobacco (IMT.L) on Wednesday agreed to buy Franco-Spanish group Altadis ALT.MC ALDS.PA, strengthening its world number-four cigarette making position and lifting it in Europe to number-two status.
Here are some key facts about the two companies:
ALTADIS
Altadis, the world's fifth-largest tobacco firm, sold 118.6 billion cigarettes last year with 2006 revenue from cigarettes of 1.69 billion euros. It is the second-largest cigarette group in France and in Spain, number four in Germany and number one in Morocco.
It was formed in 1999 through the merger of France's Seita and Spain's Tabacalera, and is headquartered in Madrid.
It is the world's largest producer of cigars selling 3,281 million cigars in 2006, producing annual cigar revenues of 888 million euros. It offers a range of Cuban brands thanks to its 50 percent interest in Corporacion Habanos.
Its logistics unit had 2006 sales of 1.19 billion euros.
Altadis cigarette brands include Gauloises, Gauloises Blondes, Gitanes, Fortuna, Nobel and Ducados, while its cigar division produces Cohiba, Flor de Copan, Hoyo de Monterrey and Montecristo.
Its best Cohiba-brand cigars are the world's most expensive, costing $440 each and only sold in boxes of 40.
Altadis employed 27,437 staff at the end of 2006 and has activities in nearly 35 countries around the world.
Altadis makes 43 percent of its sales from cigarettes, 30 percent from its logistics unit, and 22 percent from cigars.
In 2006, sales fell 3.4 percent to 3.97 billion euros ($5.3 billion) and net profit fell 21.5 percent to 453 million euros mainly due to a price war and new taxes in its biggest market, Spain.
IMPERIAL
Imperial Tobacco Group Plc is the world's fourth-largest cigarette group, selling 186.9 billion cigarettes in its financial year to end-September 2006. It is the largest cigarette producer in Britain and number two in Germany.
It was demerged from conglomerate Hanson and floated on the London stock market in October 1996.
Imperial's cigarette brands include Lambert & Butler, Richmond, Embassy, Regal, Superkings, West and Davidoff.
It has around 14,500 employees and sells products in over 130 countries around the world.
In its year to end-September 2006, its revenue less duty rose 1 percent to 3.16 billion pounds, adjusted profit from operations increased 5 percent to 1.36 billion pounds and adjusted earnings rose 9 percent to 112.2 pence a share.
($1=.7534 Euro)
