AAC Altadis Sa

RNS Number:2707M
Imperial Tobacco Group PLC
22 January 2008



NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED
STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA.


22 January 2008


Imperial Tobacco Group PLC's Offer for Altadis, S.A. becomes unconditional


Imperial Tobacco Group PLC ("Imperial Tobacco") was today informed of the level
of acceptances of its cash offer for Altadis, S.A. ("Altadis") of Euro50 per share
(the "Offer") in respect of the Altadis shares listed on the Stock Exchanges of
Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia only (the "Spanish Stock Exchange Shares
"). The Offer closed on 18 January 2008.


Valid acceptances were received in respect of 235,922,978 Spanish Stock Exchange
Shares, representing approximately 93.5% of Altadis' total issued share capital.
The above level of acceptances does not represent the final result of the Offer
as it does not include acceptances received in respect of Altadis shares listed
on Eurolist by Euronext Paris (the "French Stock Exchange Shares"). Imperial
Tobacco understands that approximately 3% of Altadis' total issued share capital
is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris.


It is expected that the Comision Nacional del Mercado de Valores (the "CNMV"),
the Spanish Securities and Exchange Commission, will announce the final result
of the Offer (which will include the acceptances in respect of the French Stock
Exchange Shares) on 25 January 2008.


The level of acceptances in respect of the Spanish Stock Exchange Shares is such
as to satisfy the 80% minimum acceptance condition to the Offer. Accordingly,
the Offer has become unconditional.


In addition, as the level of acceptances is above 90% of Altadis' total issued
share capital, the conditions set out in article 47 of the Royal Decree 1066/
2007 of 27 July relating to the legal regime applicable to public takeover bids
in Spain, applicable to the squeeze-out and sell-out rights (as described in the
offer prospectus relating to the Offer), have also been satisfied. Imperial
Tobacco intends to use the squeeze-out mechanism to compulsorily acquire all of
the outstanding Altadis shares at a price of Euro50 per share.


The Altadis shares will be de-listed from the Stock Exchanges of Madrid,
Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia and from Eurolist by Euronext Paris following
completion of the squeeze-out process.


After the CNMV announces the final result of the Offer, Imperial Tobacco will
release a further, more detailed, announcement relating to the final result of
the Offer, which will include, among other things, its intentions in relation to
Compania de Distribucion Integral Logista, S.A. and further details regarding
the implementation of the squeeze-out and sell-out mechanisms.



Enquiries

Imperial Tobacco
Alex Parsons (Head of Corporate                     Tel: +44 (0) 117 933 7241
 Communications)
Simon Evans (Group Press Officer)                   Tel: +44 (0) 117 933 7375
John Nelson-Smith (Investor Relations Manager)      Tel: +44 (0) 117 933 7032
Nicola Tate (Investor Relations Manager)            Tel: +44 (0) 117 933 7082

Citi                                                Tel: +44 (0) 20 7986 4000
(lead financial adviser to Imperial Tobacco)
Ian Carnegie-Brown
Ian Hart
Mark Todd

Manuel Falco                                        Tel: +34 (0) 91 538 4411

Hoare Govett                                        Tel: +44 (0) 20 7678 8000
(joint corporate broker to Imperial Tobacco)
Hugo Fisher
Paul Nicholls

Morgan Stanley                                      Tel: +44 (0) 20 7425 5000
(joint corporate broker to Imperial Tobacco)
Paul Baker





Citi, Hoare Govett limited and Morgan Stanley & Co. International limited which
are authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services
Authority, are acting exclusively for Imperial Tobacco and no one else in
relation to the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be
responsible to anyone other than Imperial Tobacco for providing the protections
afforded to clients of Citi, Hoare Govett limited and Morgan Stanley & Co.
International limited respectively nor for providing advice in relation to these
matters, the content of this announcement or any matter referred to in it.


Copies of Imperial Tobacco's announcements are available on its website:
www.imperial-tobacco.com




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END
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