Imperial Tobacco lifts annual profit as cheaper materials, lower staff bill offset rising tax

Imperial Tobacco lifts annual profit as cheaper materials, lower staff bill offset rising tax
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth Jan. 15 (BusinessDesk) - Imperial Tobacco New Zealand boosted annual profit by almost a third as cheaper raw materials and a smaller wage spend helped offset a rising excise duty bill that has more than doubled over the past decade.  The Lower Hutt-based local unit of UK tobacco giant Imperial Brands Plc reported a net profit of $39.9 million in the year ended Sept. 30, up from $30.5 million a year earlier, financial statements lodged with the Companies Office show. Revenue increased 1.5 percent to $562.7 million, lagging b...