Chicago-based Framtiden Partnerships, a Swedish Match shareholder for nearly two decades, told Reuters on Wednesday that it opposes Philip Morris' (PMI) proposed takeover of the Stockholm-based company.
According to Euromonitor International, Swedish Match controls about half the world's market for snus - a Swedish-style snuff that is moist and smoke-free.
Swedish Match has a fragmented ownership base, he said, making it difficult to get a clear overview of how many will accept the deal.
'THREE SHAREHOLDER CAMPS'John Hempton, co-founder of Sydney-based Bronte Capital, is another Swedish Match shareholder who hopes the deal will fall through.
The largest shareholders of Swedish Match, which include Wellington Management, Capital Group, BlackRock and Vanguard, all declined to comment on the deal.