FACTBOX - Key facts about Imperial Tobacco

(Reuters) - Imperial Tobacco (IMT.L: Quote, Profile, Research), the world's No. 4 cigarette group, launched a deeply discounted 4.9 billion pound rights issue on Tuesday to pay for Altadis with the size of the cash call depressing its shares.

Here are some facts about Imperial Tobacco:

* BASIC FACTS:

-- Imperial Tobacco Group is the world's fourth-largest cigarette group, selling 200 billion cigarettes in its financial year to end-September 2007.

-- It is the largest cigarette producer in Britain with a market capitalisation of 17.63 billion pounds and No. 2 in Germany.

-- Formed in 1901, Imperial Tobacco has 58 factories and sells products in over 130 countries. It employs 14,221 people.

-- It was demerged from conglomerate Hanson and floated on the London stock market in October 1996.

* BRANDS:

-- Imperial's cigarette brands include Lambert & Butler, Richmond, Embassy, Regal, Superkings, West and Davidoff.