Global Tobacco - Smoke Signals
The Second Most Important Inauguration
Global Tobacco
Erik Bloomquist, CFAAC *
(44-20) 7325-9917
erik.a.bloomquist@jpmorgan.com
Sam H Weeman
(44-20) 7742-6481
samuel.h.weeman@jpmorgan.com
J.P. Morgan Securities Ltd.
* Registered/qualified as a research analyst under NYSE/NASD rules
See page 95 for analyst certification and important disclosures, including non-US analyst disclosures.
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India
Vineet Sharma AC
(852) 2800-8523
vineet.k.sharma@jpmorgan.com
Malaysia
Nicole Goh AC
(60-3) 22704702
nicole.sy.goh@jpmorgan.com
South Korea
Jinah Lee AC
(82-2) 758-5723
jinah.lee@jpmorgan.com
Sector View & Outlook
• Inaugurating the J.P. Morgan Global Tobacco Weekly. We are
launching our Global Tobacco Weekly today and hope you find it useful.
Features include: 1) Sector View & Outlook; 2) Global Tobacco stock
Valuations and Performance; 3) Upcoming Catalysts; 4) Key Sector news;
5) a compendium of the prior week’s J.P. Morgan Global Tobacco research.
If you have an idea for something to be included (or deleted), or feedback,
please let us know, and we will consider it.
• The Beauty of Pricing Power. Price increases in UK and Spain last week,
combined with the similar actions at end 2008 in the US and Russia, confirm
Tobacco’s status as one of the few sectors to maintain pricing power in the
current economic uncertainty. In our view, this ability is likely to be
exercised (judiciously) throughout the year in both Mature and Emerging
markets and supports our positive sector view.
• US Uncertainty Decline Driving Re-rating. Passage by the House of $0.61
FET (as expected) is reducing investor concerns and beginning to close the
valuation discount between US and International Tobacco names (currently
20% on 2009E P/E). Our preferred US market stock remains MO.
• Tobacco Outlook. Key drivers for sector remain FX (+ve for
BAT/IMT/SWMA, -ve for JT/PMI), reliable constant FX sector earning
growth outlook relative to global uncertainty; lessening of US uncertainty
around FET; uncertainty about future scope for Japanese corporates to
restructure and further privatistation post "benevolent capitalism” comments.
• Announcing Annual J.P. Morgan Global Tobacco Conference on 26
June 2009. We are delighted we will again host our Global Tobacco
Conference on 26 June at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in London.
Table of Contents
Weekly News Summary ...........................................................3
Global Tobacco Valuation .......................................................6
Share Price Performance.........................................................6
Tobacco Calendar ....................................................................7
Latest Published Research......................................................8
Altria Group: Best Positioned for Headwinds; UST Deal Neutral (19 Jan 2009) .....9
ITC Limited: Maintain positive stance (19 Jan 2009)..............................................21
KT&G Corp: Q408 Preview (14 Jan 2009) .............................................................30
British American Tobacco: Upgrading on FX; Underlying Momentum Continues
(6 Jan 2009) ...............................................................................................................36
Global Tobacco : Factoring in the Pain; D/G US Tobacco Est. but Cash Return
Compelling. U/G Altria to OW; D/G LO to N (15 Dec 2008)...................................47