Swedish Match Annual General Meeting 2019

Major items approved by today’s Annual General Meeting include:

• A dividend of 10.50 SEK per share
• Mandate to repurchase up to 10 percent of all shares in the Company
• Withdrawal of 6,000,000 repurchased company shares with a simultaneous bonus issue without issuing any new shares
• Mandate to resolve on the transfer of shares in the Company and to issue new shares
• Election of Deloitte AB as auditor

At the Annual General Meeting of Swedish Match AB (publ) on April 9, it was resolved, in accordance with the proposal of the Board of Directors, to pay a dividend of 10.50 SEK per share. The record day for the right to receive a cash dividend is April 11, 2019 and payment through Euroclear Sweden AB is expected to be made on April 16, 2019.

Charles A. Blixt, Andrew Cripps, Jacqueline Hoogerbrugge, Conny Karlsson, Pauline Lindwall, Wenche Rolfsen and Joakim Westh were re-elected as members of Swedish Match’s Board of Directors. Conny Karlsson was re-elected as Chairman of the Board and Andrew Cripps was re-elected Deputy Chairman of the Board. The Annual General Meeting further approved the proposed remuneration to the members of the Board of Directors as set out in the notice and the principles for remuneration and other terms for members of the executive management.

Furthermore, the Annual General Meeting approved the Board of Directors’ proposal that it be authorized to resolve on acquisition of the Company’s own shares, on one or several occasions prior to the next Annual General Meeting, provided the Company’s holding does not at any time exceed ten (10) percent of all shares in the Company. The shares shall be acquired on Nasdaq Stockholm at a price within the price interval registered at any given time, i.e. the interval between the highest bid price and the lowest selling price. Swedish Match owns 6,709,295 treasury shares as per April 9, 2019.

In addition, the Annual General Meeting resolved to reduce the Company’s share capital by 13,282,702.20 SEK by means of withdrawal of 6,000,000 previously repurchased shares held in treasury, with a simultaneous bonus issue, without issuing any new shares, of a corresponding amount to restore the share capital. The shareholders further approved the proposal that the reduction will be allocated to a fund for use pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Annual General Meeting.

The Annual General Meeting authorized the Board of Directors to resolve on the transfer of the Company’s own shares, on one or several occasions prior to the next Annual General Meeting. The shares may only be transferred in conjunction with the financing of company acquisitions and other types of strategic investments and acquisitions, and the transfers may not exceed the maximum number of treasury shares held by the Company at any given time. Transfer of own shares shall be made either on Nasdaq Stockholm or in another manner.

Furthermore, the Annual General Meeting approved the Board of Directors’ proposal that it be authorized to, for the period until the end of the next Annual General Meeting, to issue new ordinary shares on one or more occasions, with or without deviation from shareholders’ preferential rights and against payment in cash, in kind or by set-off. The number of shares that may be issued may not exceed a maximum dilution effect of ten (10) percent of the share capital and votes at the time of the Annual General Meeting 2019.

The Annual General Meeting elected Deloitte AB as auditor until the end of the Annual General Meeting 2020.

The Annual General Meeting approved all other proposals made by the Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee. The proposals are outlined in the published notice of the Annual General Meeting.

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Contacts:

Lars Dahlgren, President and Chief Executive Officer
Office +46 8 658 0441

Thomas Hayes, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Office +46 8 658 0108

Emmett Harrison, Senior Vice President Investor Relations and Corporate Sustainability
Office +46 8 658 0173

Richard Flaherty, President US Division, US Investor Relations contact
Office +1 804 787 5130
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Swedish Match develops, manufactures, and sells quality products with market-leading brands in the product segments Snus and moist snuff, Other tobacco products, and Lights. Production is located in seven countries, with sales concentrated in Scandinavia and the US. The Group’s global operations generated sales of 12,966 MSEK for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2018. The Swedish Match share is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (SWMA).

Swedish Match’s vision is a world without cigarettes. Some of its well-known brands include: General, Longhorn, ZYN, Game, Red Man, Fiat Lux, and Cricket.
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Swedish Match AB (publ), SE-118 85 Stockholm, Sweden
Visiting address: Sveavägen 44, 8th Floor. Telephone: +46 8 658 0200
Corporate Identity Number: 556015-0756
www.swedishmatch.com 

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