Reynolds American Earnings Call Nuggets: Underlying Growth and Net Pricing

Reynolds American Inc (NYSE:RAI) recently reported its fourth quarter earnings and discussed the following topics in its earnings conference call.

Underlying Growth

David Adelman – Morgan Stanley: I want to understand the guidance and what you are really saying about the underlying growth that you envision for next year — for 2013. Just to be clear, the guidance of $3.15 to $3.30; am I correct that that includes the benefit of about $200 million in lower MSA cost that you otherwise would have incurred that you will pay in 2014 because of the proposed resolution, is that correct? That’s about $0.23 a share in benefit?

Daniel M. Delen – President and CEO of Reynolds American, Inc.; President of RAI Services Company: That is correct David. I think the way we have looked in terms of establishing guidance is that that’s actually included and maybe it’s worth just sort of recognizing in amnesia and what the rest of the listeners as well is that this is actually part compensation for some of the impact of the MSA and disproportionate impact of the MSA had on our Company historically. So we are taking the opportunity to reinvest a portion of those benefits back in our innovation capability in some of the new products that we have talked about and also in the equity spend behind some of our key assets. Those are our key growth brands and so we will be looking at rewarding shareholders with part of that benefit and also reinvesting part of that benefit as we go forward.

David Adelman – Morgan Stanley: But if I am right then on net basic – assuming that it will all have slown to the bottom line, I mean you can basically get to the underlying rate of earnings growth year-over-year simply with flat operating income in your share buyback?