Imperial Brands Plc
IMB:LN

Imperial Tobacco has powered ahead since it was released from conglomerate Hanson in the late 1990s. Brands include Embassy, Regal, John Player Specials and Lambert & Butler alongside Castella cigars. Like its rivals, expansion has seen it go continental with the acquisition of Germany's Reemstma in 2001, which promoted the group into the fourth biggest tobacco company in the world.