NEW YORK (Yosefardi) – Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) reported its cigarette shipment volume in the second quarter of this year reached 28.6 billion units, increased by 1.3%.
However, PMI’s market share decreased by 1.2 points to 34.9% predominantly as a result of the share decline of the brand family Dji Sam Soe, which decreased by 0.6 points to 6.3% due to the continuing decline of the hand-rolled kretek segment, compounded by the unfavorable impact resulting from the brand’s hand-rolled variant crossing a critical price point ahead of competition.
This decline was partially offset by the growth of machine-made Dji Sam Soe Magnum Blue which reached a market share of 0.6% in the quarter since its launch in April 2014.
Market share of Sampoerna A, in the premium machine-made LTLN kretek segment, was flat at 14.1%, while mid-price U Mild was up by 1.3 points to 5.6%.
In Indonesia, the total cigarette market increased by 4.9% to 82.0 billion units, rebounding from a decline in the first quarter of 2014 of 1.0%. On a year-to-date basis, the total cigarette market increased by 2.0%.
For the full-year 2014, the total cigarette market is projected to grow by up to 1.0%.