Swedish Match announces reduction of shares and share capital

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). For further information, please contact: Lennart Sundén, President and Chief Executive office +46 8 658 01 75 Officer Sven Hindrikes, Executive Vice President and office +46 8 658 02 82 Chief Financial Officer Bo Aulin, Senior Vice President, Secretary office +46 8 658 03 64 and General Counsel mobile +46 70 558 03 64 Emmett Harrison, Vice President, Investor office +46 8 658 01 73 Relations mobile +46 70 938 01 73 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/10/18/20011018BIT00650/bit0002.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/10/18/20011018BIT00650/bit0002.pdf