Profits At Imperial Tobacco Fall 45%

The world's fourth-largest cigarette posted a profit of £233m in the six months ending 31 March, compared to £421m in the same period a year earlier. Total sales were up 38% to £8.056bn.

 The group, which acquired the Franco-Spanish
group Altadis in late January, repeated its annual cost savings
target from the takeover would be E300m by September 2010, but added
this would rise to around E400m by September 2012. The company also
said its performance for its financial year to September 2008
remained in line with its own expectations.