JT's Sales Recovering Well

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 07/18/2011

Japan Tobacco Inc's volume cigarette sales last month, at 8.9 billion, were down by 27.1 per cent on those of June 2010, the company announced today in a preliminary sales report. Although well down, sales are picking up following the huge disruption to the company's manufacturing and distribution operations that was caused by March's earthquake. Sales during the April-June period, at 18.4 billion, were down by 48.8 per cent on those of the April-June period of 2010. JT's market share was 40.8 per cent during the April-June 2011 period but 50.9 per cent during June 2011. For the full year ended March 2011, the company's market share was 64.1 per cent. Net sales excluding tax were down by 31.3 per cent to ¥100.1 billion comparing performances during the April-June periods, but down by only 1.8 per cent to ¥48.7 billion comparing performances during the months of June. JT is due to announce on July 28 its consolidated financial results for the first quarter of the year to the end of March 2012. Meanwhile, JT's sales will be boosted following an announcement that it will be removing on July 25 the purchase order ceiling for retailers in respect of 57 of its domestic market products. The ceiling for the company's other 16 products will be removed on August 1, the date when the ceiling was to have been removed in respect of all of its domestic products. And as a sign of the company's growing confidence in its manufacturing and distribution operations, JT has announced that it is to launch a new product late next month - nation-wide. Seven Stars Cutting Menthol, which uses a 'flavor thread filter,' will be the first super slim product in the Seven Stars line, one of Japan's biggest brands. Enditem