Outlook and risk factors
Full Year 2020 Outlook
The outlook included in the second quarter report stated that “The effective corporate tax rate in 2020, excluding associated companies and larger one-time items, is expected to be in the 22 percent to 23 percent range.” The revised outlook below notes a higher expected underlying corporate tax rate. This is due to the increase in the relative contribution to earnings from our US businesses, which is taxed at a higher effective rate than the Group average and hence increases the Group tax rate. The remaining points of the previous outlook statement remain unchanged.
Swedish Match expects that the trend of increased interest from consumers, industry participants and regulators in less harmful alternatives to cigarettes will continue. Our ambition is to create value for both shareholders and society by providing products that are recognized as safer alternatives to cigarettes.
For 2020, Swedish Match expects continued market growth in global markets for smokefree nicotine products, most notably driven by rapid growth of nicotine pouches (both without tobacco and with small amounts of tobacco).
During 2020, Swedish Match expects to increase its investments in marketing, distribution and sales efforts in both existing and new markets to actively participate in growth opportunities. Continued capital investments by Swedish Match to further expand ZYN production capacity are expected to result in capital expenditures in 2020 considerably above the 2019 level.
The effective underlying corporate tax rate in 2020, excluding associated companies, is now expected to exceed 23 percent.
The Company remains committed to returning cash not needed in operations to shareholders.
Effects from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, acknowledging the global scale of the impact of COVID-19 on people’s health, families and communities. While longer-term effects from the pandemic are uncertain, the negative commercial, operational and financial consequences to Swedish Match have thus far been limited. On the contrary, Swedish Match estimates that, thus far and for the ninemonth period through September 30, COVID-19 related changes to consumer demand and purchase patterns have positively impacted sales for several of its businesses. For cigars, while consumer demand is estimated to have been elevated due to COVID-19, resulting in particularly strong Swedish Match volume development for HTL cigars, COVID-19 related production constraints have limited Swedish Match’s ability to fully meet the demand for natural leaf varieties. Swedish Match is closely monitoring the current situation including governmental guidelines and advice from public health authorities in every country where we operate. We are proactively taking the steps that we believe are appropriate to mitigate potential impacts to our employees, our customers and our business, as well as to society. To date, other than the governmentally imposed deferral by the US of certain tax payments in the second quarter, which were paid during the third quarter, no material governmental subsidies or concessions related to COVID-19 have been sought or received by Swedish Match.
Risk factors
Swedish Match faces intense competition in all of its markets and for each of its products and such competition may increase in the future. To remain successful, the Group must develop products and brands that resonate with changing consumer trends, and price and promote its brands competitively. Restrictions on advertising and promotion may, however, make it more difficult to counteract any loss of consumer loyalty. Competitors may develop and promote new products which could be successful, and could thereby have an adverse effect on Swedish Match results of operations.
Swedish Match has substantial sales in the US, with products sourced from local US production facilities and imports from Swedish Match’s production facilities in the
Dominican Republic and in Sweden. Swedish Match also has operations in Brazil, Denmark, Norway, the Philippines and EMU member countries. Consequently, changes in import duties as well as in exchange rates of the euro, Norwegian krone, Danish krone, Brazilian real, the Dominican peso and in particular the US dollar may adversely affect the Group’s results of operations, cash flow, financial condition or relative price competitiveness in the future. Such effects may occur both in local currencies and when such local currencies are translated into Swedish currency for purposes of financial reporting.
Regulatory developments and fiscal changes related to tobacco and other nicotine products, corporate income and other taxes, as well as to the marketing, sale and consumption of tobacco products and other products containing nicotine in the countries where the Group is operating may have an adverse effect on Swedish Match results of operations.
For a further description of risk factors affecting Swedish Match, see the Risk and risk management section in the Report of the Board of Directors in the published Swedish Match annual report for 2019.
Source: Swedish Match Interim Report January-September 2020.