X5 Retail Regulatory News (FIVE)

30 Jun 2006 07:03

Pyaterochka Holding N.V.30 June 2006 NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN 30 June 2006 PYATEROCHKA HOLDING N.V. TO LAUNCH GDR PURCHASE PROGRAMME Pyaterochka Holding N.V. will launch today a GDR purchase programme to meet itsexpected obligations under the company's employee stock option programme. TheGDR purchase programme will begin today and is expected to run through to theend of 2006, subject to market conditions. The total value of this GDR purchaseprogramme in 2006 is currently planned to reach US $50 million. Pyaterochka Holding N.V.'s existing employee stock option programme is capped ata total of US $150 million over a five year period. The first stock optionswere issued to employees in 2005, and will be exercisable from 2008. Full details of the company's employee stock option programme are provided inthe company's Offering and Shareholder Circulars dated 6 May 2005 and 24 April2006, respectively, which are available on the Pyaterochka Holding N.V. website(www.e5.ru/english). Pyaterochka Holding N.V. will make further announcements relating to the GDRpurchase programme, as appropriate, including the date of the purchase, thenumber of GDRs purchased, the price paid, the number of GDRs held in treasuryand the number of GDRs remaining in issue. Note to Editors: Pyaterochka Holding N.V. is Russia's largest food retailer in terms of sales.The group has 371 company-managed "Pyaterochka" soft discount stores located inthe Moscow (177), St. Petersburg (175) and Yekaterinburg (19) areas, and 127company-managed "Perekrestok" supermarkets across 14 regions of Central Russiaand Ukraine as of 31 March 2006. Pyaterochka and Perekrestok have merged their operations as of 18 May 2006 tocreate the clear leader in the Russian food retail market. Pyaterochka's 2005 net sales (pre-merger) reached USD 1,359 million, with grossbanner sales in 2005 of over USD 2 billion. Perekrestok net sales reached USD1,015 million in 2005. Pyaterochka's Q1 2006 net sales (pre-merger) reached USD 439 million, andPerekrestok Q1 2006 sales were USD 323 million. As of 31 March 2006, franchisees operated 439 Pyaterochka branded stores in 15regions of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Pyaterochka currently has masterfranchise agreements in 20 regions of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.Perekrestok has 9 convenience stores operated by franchisees in the Moscow area. - End - Enquiries to: Pyaterochka Holding NV Tanja Djurdjevic Investor Relations Tel +7 495 724 6414 Email ir@e5.ru This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange