Reynolds (RAI, Financial) has been a core Wintergreen investment for many years. The Reynolds management team utilizes a value formula that consists of wielding pricing power, generating substantial free cash flows, and returning much of that cash through raising dividends and share repurchases. The company acquired the Newport brand via the takeover of Lorillard during 2015, and traded away lower-return assets, for an attractive price. Reynolds’ market share of the U.S. cigarette market has increased from around 25% to 33% with the addition of Newport as of December 31, 2015. According to Reynolds’ management, the deal is accretive on an earnings per share basis in the first 12 months and will have “strong double-digit accretion second year and beyond.” Reynolds may execute a rapid pay-down of debt after the Lorillard deal, which will increase the prospects of accelerating stock buybacks. With our investment in British American Tobacco plc (LSE: BATS, “BAT”), the largest shareholder in Reynolds with ownership of 42% of Reynolds outstanding shares, we should further benefit from the ongoing success of Reynolds. Since BAT has acquired affiliates of some portfolio companies in the past, we would not be surprised to see one day the complete purchase of Reynolds’ shares that BAT doesn’t already own.
From David Winters (Trades, Portfolio)' 2015 annual letter to shareholders.
