THE STOCKMANN GROUP'S SALES IN JANUARY 2006

STOCKMANN plc STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE February 8, 2006, at 13.00

THE STOCKMANN GROUP'S SALES IN JANUARY 2006

The Stockmann Group's sales in January were EUR 156.2 million. Consolidated sales, eliminating the divested Zara business in Russia, were up 11.4 per cent. The Zara business will be carried on in Russia for the account of Inditex of Spain as from January 1, 2006, providing that the sale of the subsidiary carrying on the Zara business in Russia closes, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the deal, during the spring. Counting in the sales in 2005 of the Zara stores in Russia, the Group's sales grew by 10 per cent. Sales by Stockmann Auto are included in Group sales during January-February and will be discontinued as from March 1, 2006, providing that the competition authorities approve the sale of Stockmann Auto and certain of its businesses prior to this date.

Seppälä's sales grew by 17 per cent. Sales in Finland rose by 7 per cent and sales abroad by a hefty 81 per cent. The strong growth in sales abroad is attributable to both the building out of the store network and to very strong like-for-like growth in all market areas.

Sales by the Department Store Division, eliminating the Zara business in Russia, grew by 16 per cent. Sales in Finland rose by 10 per cent and sales abroad by 35 per cent. Sales in Finland were lifted by the new department store that was opened in the Jumbo Shopping Centre in Vantaa, near Helsinki, in October 2005 and by strong like-for-like growth in sales abroad in all market areas. If the divested Zara business in Russia is not eliminated from the Department Store Division's comparative figures, the division posted sales growth of 13 per cent and growth in sales abroad of 20 per cent.

Stockmann Auto's sales grew by 11 per cent.

Hobby Hall's sales were down 7 per cent, largely due to the different timing of campaigns compared with the previous year. Hobby Hall's sales in Finland were down one per cent and abroad down 26 per cent.

Sales figures in January

January January-Dece mber change

20062005perc.2005
MeMe06/05Me
  Department Store Division, Finland59.854.49.8797.1
  Department Store Division, international 23.017.134.6227.0
operations*
  Department Store Division, total*82.871.515.71 024.1
  Stockmann Auto41.036.811.2414.1
  Hobby Hall, Finland15.715.8-1.0176.5
  Hobby Hall, international operations3.44.6-25.734.0
  Hobby Hall, total19.120.4-6.5210.5
  Seppälä, Finland10.69.97.4132.4
  Seppälä, international operations2.71.581.322.9
  Seppälä, total13.311.417.0155.2
  Real estate + others0.10.1-16.70.9
  Operations in Finland, total127.1117.18.61 521.0
  International operations, total*29.123.125.7283.9
  Stockmann total*156.2140.211.41 804.8
In the column "change, per cent", are presented the percentual changes on the corresponding period in the previous year.

* The comparative figures are presented with the elimination of the divested Zara business in Russia that were transferred to Inditex. Counting in the sales by the Zara stores in Russia, the growth figures in per cent for January 2006 are as follows:

  Department Store Division, international operations20,4
  Department Store Division, total12,5
  Stockmann total9,8

STOCKMANN plc

Hannu Penttilä CEO

DISTRIBUTION Helsinki Stock Exchange Principal media





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