OREANDA-NEWS.  Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE / Euronext Paris: PM) (“PMI”) today announced that its subsidiary, PT HM Sampoerna Tbk. (IDX: HMSP) (“Sampoerna”), in which it holds a 98.18% interest, will explore options to comply with the Indonesian Stock Exchange’s mandatory requirement of a minimum threshold for public shareholding.

On January 30, 2014, IDX introduced a regulation requiring all listed public companies to have at least 7.5% of their total paid up capital owned by the public by January 30, 2016.

Sampoerna has engaged investment banks to assist with the evaluation of various strategic options to fulfill this requirement. These include potential capital market transactions.

About PT HM Sampoerna Tbk.

PT HM Sampoerna Tbk. (“Sampoerna”) was founded in 1913 and today is Indonesia’s largest tobacco company with a cigarette market share in 2014 of 34.9%. At an industry size of 314 billion units in 2014, Indonesia is the largest cigarette market outside of the People’s Republic of China. Sampoerna’s brand portfolio includes Sampoerna A and Dji Sam Soe in the premium price segment and U Mild and Sampoerna Hijau in the mid-price segment. At the market close on June 26, 2015, Sampoerna had a market capitalization of IDR 313.7 trillion, or approximately $23.6 billion.

Philip Morris International Inc.

Philip Morris International Inc. (“PMI”) is the leading international tobacco company, with six of the world’s top 15 international brands, including Marlboro, the number one cigarette brand worldwide. PMI’s products are sold in more than 180 markets. In 2014, the company held an estimated 15.6% share of the total international cigarette market outside of the U.S., or 28.6% excluding the People’s Republic of China and the U.S.