British American Tobacco Fiscal Year Profit Rises - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - British American Tobacco PLC (BATS.L, BTI) reported profit before tax of 5.8 billion pounds for the year ended 31 December 2015, compared to 4.8 billion pounds, previous year. Profit to owners of the parent increased to 4.3 billion pounds from 3.1 billion pounds. Earnings per share was 230.3 pence compared to 166.6 pence.

Adjusted Group profit from operations increased by 4.0% at constant rates of exchange. Adjusted Group profit from operations was down by 7.6% at current rates. Adjusted earnings per share, at constant translation rates of exchange, were up by 10.1% at 229.1 pence, despite the transactional headwinds from foreign exchange. At current rates, adjusted earnings per share were up 0.1% at 208.4 pence.

Reported revenue was down 6.2% to 13.1 billion pounds from 14.0 billion pounds, prior year. Group revenue was up by 5.4% at constant rates of exchange. Group cigarette volume fell by 0.5% to 663 billion, an organic decline of 0.8% excluding the acquisition of TDR in Croatia. Total tobacco volume was 0.8% lower than the previous year.

The Board of British American Tobacco has recommended a final dividend of 104.6 pence, to be paid on 5 May 2016. This will take the 2015 total dividend to 154.0 pence per share, an increase of 4%.