Arcus-Gruppen acquires 51% in Excellars

2011-07-11

This information is disclosed in accordance with the Securities Markets Act, the
    Financial Instruments Trading Act or demands made in the exchange rules.

Ratos's subsidiary Arcus-Gruppen has signed an agreement to acquire 51% of the
shares in the Norwegian wine wholesaler Excellars AS. The purchase price
(Enterprise Value) amounts to NOK 65m. The seller is Geir Eikeland through
Exworks AS.
Excellars is Norway's sixth largest wine supplier with brands that include
Allesverloren, Casa Vinicola Botter, Francois Lurton and Vignobles André Lurton.
Sales in 2010 totalled NOK 94m with an operating profit (EBITA) of NOK 21m.
    "Like our own wine operations, Excellars has been highly successful in the
    Norwegian market in recent years. Excellars has many best-sellers among its
    wines and will complement the rest of the Arcus product range well. Together
    Arcus-Gruppen and Excellars will be the leading wine importers in Norway,"
    says Arcus-Gruppen's CEO Otto Drakenberg.

Arcus-Gruppen is Norway's leading spirits producer and one of the largest wine
suppliers in the Nordic region through Vingruppen, Vinordia and Arcus Wine
Brands. The group's best-known spirits brands include Braastad Cognac, Linie
Aquavit, Løiten and Vikingfjord Vodka. In 2010 sales totalled NOK 1,632m with an
operating profit (EBITA) of NOK 131m. Ratos's holding in Arcus-Gruppen amounts
to 83%.
The purchase price for the acquisition (Enterprise Value) amounts to NOK 65m
(approximately SEK 75m). The acquisition will most likely be financed entirely
with existing credit facilities in Arcus-Gruppen. The acquisition is subject to
approval from the relevant competition authorities and is expected to be
completed in September.

For further information, please contact:
Susanna Campbell, Investment Director Ratos, +46 702 10 87 53
Otto Drakenberg, CEO Arcus-Gruppen, +47 48 12 07 91
Emma Rheborg, Head of Corporate Communications and IR Ratos, +46 733 80 22 63

Financial calendar from Ratos:
Interim Report January - June 2011      19 August 2011
Interim Report January - September 2011 9 November 2011


Ratos is a private equity conglomerate. The company's mission is to maximise
shareholder value over time through the professional, active and responsible
exercise of its ownership role in primarily medium to large unlisted Nordic
companies. Ratos's holdings include AH Industries, Anticimex, Arcus-Gruppen,
Biolin Scientific, Bisnode, Contex, DIAB, EuroMaint, Finnkino, GS-Hydro, Hafa
Bathroom Group, HL Display, Inwido, Jøtul, KVD Kvarndammen, Lindab, Medisize,
Mobile Climate Control, SB Seating and Stofa. Ratos is listed on Nasdaq OMX
Stockholm and market capitalisation amounts to approximately SEK 39 billion.