British American Tobacco Regulatory News (BATS)

British American Tobacco p.l.c. (the "Company")

Quarterly Dividends for the year ended 31 December 2019: 

Payment No. 1 - May 2020 (the "May 2020 Dividend")

South Africa Branch Register Finalisation Information

On 27 February 2020, the Company announced that the Board had declared an interim dividend of 210.4p per ordinary share of 25p, payable in four equal quarterly instalments of 52.6p per ordinary share in May 2020, August 2020, November 2020 and February 2021.

The May 2020 Dividend will be payable on 13 May 2020 to shareholders registered on either the UK main register or the South Africa branch register on 27 March 2020 (the record date).

In accordance with the JSE Limited ("JSE") Listing Requirements, the finalisation information for the May 2020 Dividend relating to shareholders registered on the South Africa branch register is set out in the paragraphs below.

The salient dates and other dividend declaration information announced on 27 February 2020 remain unchanged.

South Africa Branch Register: Dividend Rate

The British American Tobacco Group reports in sterling, therefore dividends are declared and payable in sterling except for shareholders on the branch register in South Africa whose dividends are payable in rand. A rate of exchange of £:R = 20.11360 as at 13 March 2020 (the closing rate on that date as quoted by Bloomberg), results in an equivalent May 2020 Dividend of 1057.97536 SA cents per ordinary share.

South Africa Branch Register: Dividends Tax Information

South Africa Dividends Tax (at a rate of 20%), equivalent to 211.59507 SA cents per ordinary share, will be withheld from the gross May 2020 Dividend paid to shareholders on the South Africa branch register, unless a shareholder qualifies for an exemption. After Dividends Tax has been withheld, the net dividend will be 846.38029 SA cents per ordinary share. The May 2020 Dividend is regarded as a 'foreign dividend' for the purposes of the South Africa Dividends Tax. For the purposes of South Africa Dividends Tax reporting, the source of income for the payment of the May 2020 Dividend is the United Kingdom.

At the close of business on 13 March 2020 (the latest practicable date prior to the date of the declaration of the South African rand equivalent of the May 2020 Dividend), the Company had a total of 2,294,183,992 ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury shares). The Company held 162,365,192 ordinary shares in treasury giving a total issued share capital of 2,456,549,184 ordinary shares.

British American Tobacco p.l.c. is registered with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) with tax reference number 9378193172.

For the avoidance of doubt, Dividends Tax and the information provided above is of only direct application to shareholders on the South Africa branch register. Shareholders on the South Africa branch register should direct any questions regarding the application of Dividends Tax to Computershare Investor Services Proprietary Limited, contact details for which are given below:

Computershare Investor Services Proprietary Limited

Private Bag, X9000, Saxonwold, 2132

tel: 0861 100 634; +27 11 870 8216

email enquiries: web.queries@computershare.co.za

Name of duly authorised officer of issuer responsible for making notification: 

Paul McCrory

Company Secretary

British American Tobacco p.l.c.

17 March 2020

Enquiries:

Investor Relations

Mike Nightingale/Victoria Buxton/William Houston/John Harney

+44 20 7845 1180/2012/1138/1263

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