Clas Ohlson: Interim Report 1 May 2012 – 31 July 2012

First quarter

* Sales totalled SEK 1,462 M (1,387), up 5%.

In local currencies, growth was 5%

* Operating profit amounted to SEK 101 M (120), down 16%

* Profit after tax amounted to SEK 72 M (85), down 14%

* Earnings per share amounted to SEK 1.14 (1.33), down 14%

Events after the end of the reporting period

* Sales in August totalled SEK 530 M (527), up 1%.

In local currencies, growth was 3%

* New e-commerce platform now established in all markets

CEO Klas Balkow comments:

“We continue to expand and capture market shares in all markets. Sales in
comparable stores were lower due to a generally weak market during the summer,
which also impacted earnings. Our financial position is strong and the level of
activity is high for our efforts to continue to develop and strengthen Clas
Ohlson.

In August, growth corresponded to 3 per cent in local currencies and was mainly
impacted by lower visitor traffic in our Swedish stores. The rate of traffic
varied significantly, with a more positive trend noted during the latter part of
the month.

“We have now launched our new e-commerce platform in all markets, which is key
to our strategy to be easily accessible and offer sales and services via several
collaborating channels. Clas Ohlson is now focusing on the autumn, with a new
catalogue and more than 1,000 new products for people interested in home
improvement,” Klas Balkow, President and CEO.

Analyst and media conference

An analyst and media conference will be held today, Wednesday 5 September. For
participation, please visit http://about.clasohlson.com or
www.financialhearings.com

For more information, please contact:

Klas Balkow, CEO and President, Clas Ohlson AB: +46 (0)247-447 55

John Womack, Director of Information and IR, Clas Ohlson AB: +46 (0)247-444 05

The information in this press release comprises information that Clas Ohlson AB
(publ) is required to disclose pursuant to the Swedish Securities Market Act
and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was
released for publication at 08:00 (CET) on Wednesday 5 September 2012.
Clas Ohlson AB is a Swedish chain store that sells, amongst other things,
hardware, electrical, multimedia, and home and leisure products. It is the
largest hardware chain in Scandinavia. The company was founded in 1918 by the
technically-minded Clas Ohlson (1895–1979), as a mail order business based in
the Swedish village of Insjön, Dalarna. Initially, only manuals and technical
literature were sold. He opened his first shop in Insjön in 1926 and there are
now stores throughout Sweden, as well as in Norway and Finland. In 2008, the
company opened its first store in the United Kingdom, in Croydon, south London.
There are now stores at the Arndale Centre in Manchester, at The Harlequin in
Watford, in Kingston upon Thames, Reading, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham,
Cardiff, Doncaster, Norwich and Newcastle.