X5 Retail Regulatory News (FIVE)

30 Mar 2007 07:11

X5 Retail Group N.V.30 March 2007 NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN 30 March 2007 COMMENT ON BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCEMENT Amsterdam, 30 March 2007 - X5 Retail Group N.V., Russia's largest food retailerin terms of sales, wishes to comment on an article on Bloomberg today, which hasled to speculation about a possible secondary offering of shares by the Group. Lev Khasis, Group CEO, stated: "At any one time X5 Group is considering a widerange of strategic possibilities. Among others these include the potentialacquisition of the Karusel hypermarket chain under an option exercisable from 1January 2008. If we were to undertake the acquisition of Karusel or otheroperations these initiatives would require additional capital and we arecurrently reviewing the possibility of a secondary offering. We expect to make afinal decision about our financing strategy in the course of the next twomonths." "Our earlier decision to postpone the first tranche of 25 billion Rouble Bondsplanned for March-April 2007 to improve our debt structure was made solely dueto current volatility of the market. We plan to undertake this operation as soonas the market conditions make it attractive," added Mr. Khasis. Note to Editors: X5 Retail Group N.V. is Russia's largest food retailer in terms of sales. As of31 December 2006, the Group had 451 company-managed "Pyaterochka" soft discountstores located in the Moscow (222), St. Petersburg (204) and Yekaterinburg (25)areas, and 168 company-managed "Perekrestok" supermarkets across Central Russiaand Ukraine, including 100 stores in Moscow. As of 31 December 2006, franchisees operated 605 Pyaterochka branded storesacross Russia, in Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Perekrestok had 10 convenience storesoperated by franchisees in the Moscow area. Pyaterochka and Perekrestok have merged their operations as of 18 May 2006 tocreate the clear leader in the Russian food retail market. The Group's pro forma net sales for the FY 2006 were $3,485 million, up +47% vs.2005 (preliminary management accounts). Pyaterochka chain provided US $1,973million of net sales, while the Perekrestok chain contributed US $1,512 millionof net sales. Forward looking statements: This announcement includes statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can beidentified by the fact that they do not only relate to historical or currentevents. Forward-looking statements often use words such as" anticipate","target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "expected", "plan", "goal" believe",or other words of similar meaning. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty becausethey relate to future events and circumstances, a number of which are beyond X5Retail Group N.V.'s control. As a result, actual future results may differmaterially from the plans, goals and expectations set out in theseforward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of X5 Retail Group N.V.speak only as at the date of this announcement. Save as required by anyapplicable laws or regulations, X5 Retail Group N.V. undertakes no obligationpublicly to release the results of any revisions to any forward-lookingstatements in this document that may occur due to any change in its expectationsor to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document. Enquiries to: X5 Retail Group N.V. Gennady Frolov Head of Corporate Communications Mobile +7 495 998 3335 Email gennady.frolov@x5.ru http://www.x5.ru This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange