US Federal Court lets stand FTC ruling

The US Federal District Court has granted the FTC´s motion for a preliminary injunction, thereby preventing Swedish Match from proceeding with the closing of its proposed transaction to buy the smokeless tobacco brands and certain other assets of National Tobacco Company, L.P.

The company is currently reviewing the Court’s opinion and is considering its options.

Swedish Match is an international group with its head office in Stockholm. The company manufactures a broad range of products within the OTP (Other Tobacco Products) category, with smokeless tobacco (snuff and chewing tobacco) and brown tobacco (cigars and pipe tobacco) as its core businesses, as well as matches and lighters. Swedish Match sells products in approximately 140 countries. Sales for the twelve months period ending September 30, 2000 amounted to approximately 10,900 SEK. Swedish Match is listed on OM Stockholm Exchange (SWMA) and on Nasdaq (SWMAY).

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