Interim Report January - March 1999

- Group sales increased 15 percent to SEK 2,122 M
- Operating income rose 25 percent to SEK 440 M
- Strong earnings improvement for Cigarettes, Cigars, Pipe Tobacco and Snuff
- Strong organic growth for Snuff and Cigars
- Significant and sustained costs reductions
- Cigar operations acquired in the U.S. - Swedish Match becomes leading supplier of "Other Tobacco Products" (snuff, cigars, pipe and chewing tobacco)