Japan Tobacco Sees Sharp Rise in '07/08 Profit on Gallaher

Source from:  asia.news.yahoo.com TOKYO, Aug 8 (Reuters) 08/08/2007

Japan Tobacco Inc. is likely to post a 33 percent rise in its operating profit for the year end in March, boosted by earnings from Britain's Gallaher Group, the Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday. Japan Tobacco previously forecast a 6 percent decline in operating profit - the first fall in seven years - but the outlook excluded the contribution from Gallaher, which the firm acquired in April. The Japanese tobacco firm, the world's third-largest after Altria and British American Tobacco , sees its earnings up after including Gallaher, which enjoys growing demand in emerging markets including Russia, the daily said. The company will announce its Gallaher integration plan and its first-quarter results on Thursday. Enditem