Philip Morris International Inc. agreed to buy smokeless tobacco company Swedish Match AB in a $16 billion transaction to hasten its push beyond cigarettes.
The maker of Marlboros offered 106 kronor ($10.56) a share for the smaller business, it said in a statement Wednesday, a premium of nearly 40% to Swedish Match’s closing price on Monday. The board of directors at the Stockholm-based company said shareholders should accept the offer.
Swedish Match shares jumped more than 9%, trading at 103.40 kronor at the market open in London.