New Wave Group: Balance Sheet Communique January --

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Feb. 18, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- New Wave Group:

January-December 2003

"The result increased by 25 %"

- Sales increased by 12 percent to SEK 1,882 (1,687) million.

- Resultat after net financial items improved by SEK 36 million (25 percent) to SEK 181 (145) million, which is 10 percent of the turnover.

- Result after tax increased to SEK 134 (104) million and profit per share to SEK 9.21 (7.20).

- During the fourth quarter, sales increased by 1 percent to SEK 585 (579) million and result after financial items by SEK 12 million to SEK 98 (86) million.

- For the Corporate Profiling business area, sales increased by 11 percent to SEK 1,155 (1,045) million during 2003. Result after financial items increased by SEK 24 million to SEK 128 (103) million.

- The Retailing business area's sales increased by 13 percent to SEK 727 (643) million during 2003. Result after financial items increased by SEK 12 million to SEK 54 (42) million.

- The fourth quarter has been negatively affected by costs for business system, central warehouse establishment as well as the investment in working clothes.

- During the fourth quarter, an agreement on acquiring Swedish Match's promo wear distribution was made, and it will be consolidated as per January 1 2004.

- New Wave has gained market shares in all markets.

- For 2004, sales growth and result are expected to exceed last year.

- THE BOARD HAS DECIDED TO SUGGEST AN INCREASE OF THE DIVIDEND TO SEK 2.50 (1.75) PER SHARE, TOTALLING TO SEK 36.3 MILLION, AS WELL AS A SPLIT 2:1, AS WELL AS AN INCREASE OF THE SHARE'S FACE VALUE THROUGH STOCK DIVIDEND TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.


 COMING INFORMATION
   April 27, 2004 Interim report for the first quarter, Q1
   May 17, 2004 Annual General Meeting in New Wave Group AB
   August 12, 2004 Interim report for the second quarter, Q2
   October 25,   2004 Interim report for the third quarter, Q3

Stockholm on February 18, 2004 New Wave Group AB (publ) The Board of Directors

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Vice President Torsten Jansson Phone: +46(0)708 99 80 50, +46(0)303 24 65 01 E-mail: torsten.jansson@nwg.se

Deputy Vice President Goran Harstedt Phone: +46(0)708 99 80 17, +46(0)303 24 65 02 E-mail: goran.harstedt@nwg.se

Financial Manager Krister Magnusson Phone: +46(0)708 99 80 21, +46(0)303 24 65 11 E-mail: krister.magnusson@nwg.se

New Wave Group: Balance Sheet Communique January -- December 2003

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