STOCKMANN GROUP SALES IN MARCH 2009

STOCKMANN plc Company Announcement 9.4.2009 at 11.30

STOCKMANN GROUP SALES IN MARCH 2009

The Stockmann Group's euro-nominated sales in March were EUR 141.4 million, down 12 per cent on the previous year. Taking into consideration the strong downturn in economy and the devaluation of the Swedish krona, the Norwegian krone and the Russian rouble, especially the sales by Hobby Hall, Seppälä and Lindex were at a satisfactory level. The Department Store Division's sales were very much affected by the weak sales in the Baltic countries, the weak rouble and the closing down of the Smolenskaya department store in May 2008. In the Nordic market, the falling of Easter in April caused two extra trading days in March compared with the previous year.

In March 2009 the Department Store Division's sales declined by 20 per cent, 14 per cent in Finland and 33 per cent abroad. In the department stores in Russia the like-for-like rouble-nominated sales decreased by 3 per cent while the euro-nominated aggregate sales declined by 36 per cent. Sales declined considerably in the Baltic department stores compared to the good sales figures in 2008.

Lindex's sales in local currencies increased by 7 per cent, while the division's euro-nominated sales decreased by 5 per cent. Sales increased by 6 per cent in Finland and decreased by 7 per cent abroad.

Seppälä's euro-nominated sales were on a par with the previous year. Sales increased by 6 per cent in Finland and decreased by 10 per cent abroad. In Russia, Seppälä's rouble-nominated sales increased by 15 per cent.

Sales by Hobby Hall increased by 6 per cent. Sales grew by 13 per cent in Finland and declined by 26 per cent in the Baltic countries. The growth in Finland was partly attributable to the calendar effect brought by Easter, which allowed for more picking days in the logistics centre.

Sales figures in March

March January-March January- December

changechange
20092008perc.20092008perc.2008
EUREUR09/08EUREUR09/08EUR
mill.mill.mill.mill.mill.
Department Store50.057.9-13.5162.5186.0-12.6868.5
Division, Finland Department Store 19.9 29.8 -33.3 62.0 89.9 -31.0 350.4 Division, international operations Department Store 70.0 87.7 -20.3 224.5 275.9 -18.6 1 218.9 Division, total
Lindex, Finland5.35.06.015.015.4-2.377.1
Lindex,39.542.2-6.6107.5123.0-12.5595.5
international operations
Lindex, total44.847.3-5.2122.6138.3-11.4672.5
Hobby Hall, Finland13.411.813.337.238.8-4.1157.4
Hobby Hall,2.02.7-26.45.88.6-32.333.6
international operations
Hobby Hall, total15.414.55.943.147.4-9.3191.0
Seppälä, Finland7.36.96.323.123.10.0121.1
Seppälä,3.94.4-10.311.612.6-8.161.5
international operations
Seppälä, total11.311.3-0.134.735.7-2.9182.6
Real estate +0.00.1-81.60.00.2-82.50.8
others Operations in 76.1 81.7 -6.8 237.8 263.5 -9.7 1 224.8 Finland, total International 65.3 79.2 -17.5 186.9 234.1 -20.1 1 041.0 operations, total Stockmann total 141.4 160.9 -12.1 424.8 497.5 -14.6 2 265.8

STOCKMANN plc

Hannu Penttilä CEO

DISTRIBUTION NASDAQ OMX Principal media





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