煙草在線據(jù)《彭博商務周刊》報道編譯　　為幫助縮小與包括菲莫國際公司和英美煙草公司在內(nèi)的競爭對手的每股收益增長的差距，日本煙草公司可能會回購公司的股票。

　　日本煙草公司執(zhí)行副總裁雅和清水（Masakazu Shimizu）在2月7日接受采訪時說：“我們在追趕菲莫公司和英美煙草公司。”他說，通過提高每股收益增長幅度和股息，并通過提高現(xiàn)金流和息稅折舊攤銷前利潤，將可以達到追趕上這兩家競爭對手的目標。

　　日本煙草公司說，在日本政府開始出售其在日本煙草公司這家前煙草專賣公司中50%的股權時，公司將會回購股票。清水說，如果日本政府決定減少自己的控股，任何股票回購都將有助于防止股票價值的稀釋。日本可能會將自己在這家煙草公司中的控股減少至33%，以籌集現(xiàn)金，為去年3.11地震后的重建計劃提供資金。

　　清水說：“第一優(yōu)先考慮的事務，是在作為未來增長引擎的業(yè)務上進行投資，這將導致相關各方，包括股東的獲得利潤。”

　　世界第二大上市卷煙制造商日本煙草公司，計劃在提高利潤率的同時提高股東股息，作為新的中期戰(zhàn)略的一部分。這個計劃是在支付因2007年收購加萊赫集團產(chǎn)生的債務后出臺的。

　　制造柔和七星和駱駝卷煙的日本煙草公司受到了壓力，要把更多現(xiàn)金回報給包括兒童投資基金管理英國公司在內(nèi)的股東。這家位于英國的投資者說，它尋求獲得每股20000日元的股息，相比之下，該公司原計劃截至3月31日的年度股息為每股9000日元。

　　2月7日，日本煙草公司在東京股市收市時漲1.9%達到414000日元。該公司股票今年上漲了14%，超過日經(jīng)225股票平均指數(shù)6.6%漲幅的大約一倍。

　　根據(jù)彭博公司編寫的數(shù)據(jù)，在過去一年里，日本煙草公司每股收益增長了4.8%，低于全球煙草業(yè)19.4%的平均漲幅。

Japan Tobacco Aims to Boost EPS as It Chases Philip Morris, BAT

Bloomberg Business Week
Feb 8, 2012

　　Japan Tobacco Inc. may buy back shares to help narrow a gap in earnings-per-share growth with rivals including Philip Morris International Inc. and British American Tobacco Plc.

　　"We are chasing Philip Morris and British American," Executive Deputy President Masakazu Shimizu said yesterday in an interview. This will be achieved by increasing EPS growth and dividends as well as through raising cash flows and Ebitda, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, margin, he said.

　　The company has said it will buy back shares when the government starts selling from its 50 percent stake in the former tobacco monopoly. Any repurchases will help prevent dilution of share value if the government decides to cut its holding, Shimizu said. Japan may reduce its stake to 33 percent to raise cash to pay for recovery projects after the March 11 earthquake.

　　"The first priority is investing in the business which will be the engine for future growth," Shimizu said. "This will lead to profits for all parties concerned, including shareholders."

　　The world's second-biggest listed cigarette maker plans to increase shareholder dividend while boosting profitability as part of its new mid-term strategy. This comes after paying down its debt from the takeover of Gallaher Group Ltd. in 2007.

　　The maker of Mild Seven and Camel cigarettes has come under pressure to return more cash to shareholders including Children's Investment Fund Management UK LLP. The U.K.-based investor has said it is seeking a 20,000 yen-a-share dividend, compared with the 9,000 yen the company plans for the year ending March 31.

　　The cigarette maker rose 1.9 percent to 414,000 yen at the close of trading in Tokyo yesterday. The shares have advanced 14 percent this year, more than double the 6.6 percent gain for the Nikkei 225 Stock Average.

　　Japan Tobacco earnings per share rose 4.8 percent over the past year, lower than the 19.4 percent median for the global tobacco industry, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.