Swedish Match announces reduction of shares and share capital

The resolution by the General Meeting of Shareholders of April 24, 2001, concerning the reduction of share capital in Swedish Match has been registered at Patent- och Registreringsverket. The reduction concerns 15,000,000 repurchased shares which implies that the shares now have been cancelled.

After the reduction the shares in the Company amounts to 371,596,181 and Swedish Match currently holds 14,577,000 shares in the Company. According to the General Meeting of Shareholders resolution Swedish Match’s holding of shares in the Company may amount to 10 percent of the total number of shares in the Company, which means that another 22.6 million shares can be repurchased within the framework of the mandate.

Swedish Match is an international group with headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. The company manufactures a broad range of non-cigarette tobacco products, matches and disposable lighters which are sold in approximately 140 countries. Sales for the twelve month period ending June 30, 2001 amounted to 12,832 MSEK. Swedish Match is listed on Stockholmsbörsen (SWMA) and on NASDAQ (SWMAY).