Imperial Brands sells US accessories and rollies brands

Imperial Brands has sold a range of accessories and roll-your-own brands in the US in an effort to simplify its business.

The cigarette maker said the sale of tubes, tips, cigarette papers and other accessories, together with the roll-your-own brands, would sharpen its focus on sales from its core tobacco business and so-called next generation products.

Imperial did not disclose the buyer or the amount received for the business. It said profit on the sale was included in non-operating income in figures already published.

The maker of John Player, Gitanes and Davidoff cigarettes is seeking to revive its growth prospects amid falling cigarette sales and tighter regulation in developed markets. In February it told investors to expect no increase in first-half profit due to new tobacco laws in the UK and a poor sales mix.

Alison Cooper, Imperial’s chief executive, said the sale of the other tobacco products business sprang from the company’s continuing review of its assets. She underlined the company’s efforts to expand in products such as e-cigarettes. It has launched myblu, which allows users to top up their device with pods of eliquid, which is the fastest growing vaping segment in the US.

Cooper said: "Our product and market launch programmes are on track with the recent launches of myblu in the USA and the UK, with additional markets coming on stream in the next few months. In tobacco, our investment focus continues to deliver share gains in our growth brands and priority markets."