- Business
- Childbirth & Education
- Legal Formalities
- Motoring
- Other
- Pensions & Benefits
- Property & Accommodation
- Taxes
- Airports and Airlines Spain
- Paramount Theme Park Murcia Spain
- Corvera International Airport Murcia Spain
- Join us for Tea on the Terrace
- When Expat Eyes Are Smiling
- Meet Wincham at The Homes, Gardens & Lifestyle Show, Calpe
- QROPS 2014
- Spain Increases IHT in Valencia & Murcia
- Removals to Spain v Exports from Spain
- The Charm of Seville
- Gibraltar Relations
- Retiro Park : Madrid
- Community Insurance in Spain
- Calendar Girls
- Considerations when Insuring your Boat in Spain
- QROPS – HMRC Introduces changes that create havoc in the market place
- QROPS – All Change From April 2012
- Liva & Laia : 15th November
Imperial Tobacco , the world's fourth biggest cigarette group, was cautiously upbeat on Tuesday after the ending of a price war in Spain as it matched forecasts with a 5.1 percent rise in annual earnings.
Imperial is market leader in Spain with a near 30% share from brands like Fortuna and Ducados and it suffered a sharp fall in Iberian profits from the price war, but a cease fire in September is set to see its fortunes start to recover.
"Our commitment to sales excellence combined with effective cost and cash management will enable us to continue maximising returns to our shareholders," group Chief Executive Alison Cooper said in a annual results statement.
The Bristol-based group which also makes Gauloises, West, and Lambert & Butler cigarettes reported adjusted earnings rose to 188 pence a share for the year to end-September largely in line with 187.7p from a Reuters SmartEstimates and also a company-compiled consensus.
The annual dividend increased 13% to 95.1 pence a share raising its payout ratio from its earnings to 50.6%.