Swedish Match Annual General Meeting 2018

STOCKHOLM, April 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Major items approved by today's Annual General Meeting include:

• An ordinary dividend of 9.20 SEK per share and a special dividend of 7.40 SEK per share, in total 16.60 SEK per share
• Mandate to repurchase up to 10 percent of all shares in the Company
• Withdrawal of 5,850,000 repurchased company shares with a simultaneous bonus issue without issuing any new shares
• Mandate to resolve on transfer of shares in the Company and to issue new shares

At the Annual General Meeting of Swedish Match AB (publ) on April 11, it was resolved, in accordance with the proposal of the Board of Directors, to pay an ordinary dividend of 9.20 SEK per share and a special dividend of 7.40 SEK per share, in total 16.60 SEK per share. The record day for the right to receive a cash dividend is April 13, 2018 and payment through Euroclear Sweden AB is expected to be made on April 18, 2018.

Charles A. Blixt, Andrew Cripps, Jacqueline Hoogerbrugge, Conny Karlsson, Pauline Lindwall, Wenche Rolfsen and Joakim Westh were re-elected as members of Swedish Match's Board of Directors. Conny Karlsson was re-elected as Chairman of the Board and Andrew Cripps was re-elected Deputy Chairman of the Board. The Annual General Meeting further approved the proposed remuneration to the members of the Board of Directors as set out in the notice and the principles for remuneration and other terms for members of the executive management.

Furthermore, the Annual General Meeting approved the Board of Directors' proposal that it be authorized to resolve on acquisition of the Company's own shares, on one or several occasions prior to the next Annual General Meeting, provided the Company's holding does not at any time exceed 10 percent of all shares in the Company. The shares shall be acquired on Nasdaq Stockholm at a price within the price interval registered at any given time, i.e. the interval between the highest bid price and the lowest selling price. Swedish Match owns 6,437,462 treasury shares as per April 11, 2018.

In addition, the Annual General Meeting resolved to reduce the Company's share capital by 12,533,911.65 SEK by means of withdrawal of 5,850,000 previously repurchased shares held in treasury, with a simultaneous bonus issue, without issuing any new shares, of a corresponding amount to restore the share capital. The shareholders further approved the proposal that the reduction will be allocated to a fund for use pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Annual General Meeting.

The Annual General Meeting authorized the Board of Directors to resolve on transfer of the Company's own shares, on one or several occasions prior to the next Annual General Meeting. The shares may only be transferred in conjunction with the financing of company acquisitions and other types of strategic investments and acquisitions, and the transfers may not exceed the maximum number of treasury shares held by the Company at any given time. Transfer of own shares shall be made either on Nasdaq Stockholm or in another manner.

Furthermore, the Annual General Meeting approved the Board of Directors' proposal that it be authorized to, for the period until the end of the next Annual General Meeting, to issue new ordinary shares on one or more occasions, with or without deviation from shareholders' preferential rights and against payment in cash, in kind or by set-off. The number of shares that may be issued may not exceed a maximum dilution effect of 10 percent of the share capital and votes at the time of the Annual General Meeting 2018.

The Annual General Meeting approved all other proposals made by the Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee. The proposals are outlined in the published notice of the Annual General Meeting.

Contacts:

Lars Dahlgren, President and Chief Executive Officer
Office +46-8-658-0441

Thomas Hayes, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Office +46-8-658-0108

Emmett Harrison, Senior Vice President Investor Relations and Corporate Sustainability
Office +46-8-658-0173

Richard Flaherty, President US Division, US Investor Relations contact
Office +1-804-787-5130

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SOURCE Swedish Match