Annual General Meeting of Swedish Match AB (publ)
The Board of Directors proposes an increased dividend to 3.50 SEK per share. The proposed record date for entitlement to receive a cash dividend is April 25, 2008. The Board also proposes that the current mandate to repurchase up to 10 percent of all shares in the Company for a maximum amount of 3,000 MSEK be prolonged. In addition the Board will also propose cancellation of 12,000,000 previously repurchased shares, with a simultaneous capitalization issue in an amount corresponding to the number of cancelled shares or 17,506,310.89 SEK. Furthermore, the Board will propose that the reduction be allocated to a fund for use in repurchasing the Company’s own shares.
The Nominating Committee of Swedish Match AB proposes re-election of Charles A. Blixt, Andrew Cripps, Arne Jurbrant, Conny Karlsson, Kersti Strandqvist and Meg Tivéus. New election is proposed of Karen Guerra. Conny Karlsson is proposed as Chairman of the Board and Andrew Cripps is proposed as deputy Chairman of the Board. Sven Hindrikes and John P. Bridendall will not stand for another term.
The Nominating Committee consists of Michael Allison (Morgan Stanley Investment Management), William N. Booth (Wellington Management Company), Andy Brown (Cedar Rock Capital), Mads Gensmann (Parvus Asset Management), chairman, and Conny Karlsson.
The complete notice of the Annual General Meeting can be found on the corporate web site: www.swedishmatch.com, and is also enclosed.
Swedish Match is a global Group of companies with a broad assortment of market-leading brands in smokeless tobacco products, cigars, pipe tobacco and lights products. The Group’s global operations generated sales of 12,551 MSEK for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2007. Swedish Match shares are listed on OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm (SWMA).
Swedish Match AB (publ), SE-118 85 Stockholm
Visiting address: Rosenlundsgatan 36, Telephone: +46 8 658 02 00
Corporate Identity Number: 556015-0756
www.swedishmatch.com
For further information, please contact:
Henrik Brehmer, Senior Vice President Corporate Communications
Office +46 8 658 04 52, Mobile +46 76 111 34 14
Emmett Harrison, Vice President, Investor Relations
Office +46 8 658 01 73, Mobile +46 70 938 01 73
