煙草在線據《國際煙草雜志》報道編譯　　由于出乎意料的國內市場的反彈和有利的外匯匯率變動所協助的國際發展，日本煙草公司計劃將其12個月的股東支付提高大約三分之一。

　　日本煙草表示，將在3月31日財年結束之時向股東支付的5000日元（49.85歐元）股息將上漲為9000日元，相比而言，上一財年的股息僅為6800日元。日本煙草同樣提升了本財年的銷售和利潤目標，其表示，公司凈收入將增長30%。

　　“因為日本國內和國際煙草業務的強勁表現，我們提高了全年預測目標，”公司總裁兼首席執行官Hiroshi Kimura 2月6日在陳述截至去年12月31日的9個月內公司業績的聲明中說道。

　　“地震后，公司通過積極主動地加強競爭能力，國內煙草業務的市場份額到今年3月能夠穩步回升至60%，”他說，“盡管面臨持續挑戰，國際市場煙草業務的財政業績仍然強勁。”

　　公司表示，經過2010年10月的煙稅大幅提升和2011年3月的地震后，2011年12月的國內煙草銷售下降率低于預期。調整后凈銷售下降4.2%至4448億日元，但營業收入上漲了19.4%至1808億日元，部分原因是因為降低了促銷費用。銷量下降了24.3%至808億支。

　　國際市場，主要品牌的裝運量在截至去年12月31日的9個月內上升4.1%至1927億箱。8個主要品牌主要包括云絲頓、駱駝、柔和七星、金邊臣和Silk Cut。國際總裝運量，包括低檔的本土品牌，數量不變。營業利潤同比上漲9.2%至1562億日元，銷售收入為6823億日元。

JT to hike dividend after performance tops expectations

Tobacco Journal
07 Feb 2012

　　Japan Tobacco plans to raise its 12-month shareholder payout by nearly one third due to an unexpectedly resilient domestic market and international growth assisted by favourable foreign-exchange movements.

　　A dividend payment of JPY 5,000 (EUR 49.85) proposed for the end of the fiscal year on 31 March will raise the total payout for FY 2012 to JPY 9,000 compared with JPY 6,800 for the prior fiscal year, said Japan Tobacco. JT also raised fiscal year goals for sales and profit, saying net income will increase 30 per cent.

　　"We are revising upwards the full-year forecast given the stronger performance of the Japanese domestic and international tobacco businesses," Hiroshi Kimura, president and chief executive officer, said in a 6 Feb statement that recapped company performance in the nine months through 31 Dec.

　　"The domestic tobacco business has been steadily recovering market share toward the 60 per cent target for March this year through initiatives to strengthen our competitiveness after the earthquake," he said. "The international tobacco business delivered strong financial results despite the challenging ongoing environment."

　　Domestic tobacco sales slumped less than expected through December, following the cigarette excise tax in October, 2010, and the March earthquake. Adjusted net sales dipped 4.2 per cent to JPY 444.8 billion but operating income gained 19.4 per cent to JPY 180.8 billion , in part due to lower promotional costs, the company said. Volume fell 24.3 per cent to 80.8 billion sticks.

　　Internationally, key-brand shipment volume in the nine months to 31 Dec rose 4.1 per cent to 192.7 billion units. Among the eight key brands are Winston, Camel, Mild Seven, Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut. Overall international shipment volume, including low-end local brands, was unchanged. Operating profit rose 9.2 per cent to JPY 156.2 billion on sales of JPY 682.3 billion.