US Federal Court lets stand FTC ruling

US Federal Court Lets Stand FTC Ruling The US Federal District Court has granted the FTC´s motion for a preliminary injunction, thereby preventing Swedish Match from proceeding with the closing of its proposed transaction to buy the smokeless tobacco brands and certain other assets of National Tobacco Company, L.P. The company is currently reviewing the Court's opinion and is considering its options. Swedish Match is an international group with its head office in Stockholm. The company manufactures a broad range of products within the OTP (Other Tobacco Products) category, with smokeless tobacco (snuff and chewing tobacco) and brown tobacco (cigars and pipe tobacco) as its core businesses, as well as matches and lighters. Swedish Match sells products in approximately 140 countries. Sales for the twelve months period ending September 30, 2000 amounted to approximately 10,900 SEK. Swedish Match is listed on OM Stockholm Exchange (SWMA) and on Nasdaq (SWMAY). For further information, please contact: Lennart Sundén, President & Chief office +46 8 658 01 75 Executive Officer Sven Hindrikes, Executive Vice President office +46 8 658 02 82 & Chief Financial Officer mobile +46 70 567 41 76 Bo Aulin, Senior Vice President Corporate office +46 8 658 03 64 Affairs, Secretary & General Counsel mobile +46 70 558 0364 Emmett Harrison, Vice President Investor office +46 8 658 01 73 Relations mobile +46 709 38 01 73 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/12/15/20001215BIT00740/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/12/15/20001215BIT00740/bit0002.pdf