WEAK SALES IN THE FOURTH QUARTER BRING DOWN FULL-YEAR RESULTS

RNB RETAIL AND BRANDS sales in the fourth quarter were weak despite a favorable
sales trend in June. In the light of the sales trend for the quarter, a marginal
improvement in earnings will not be achieved for the current fiscal year
compared with the preceding year. A preliminary assessment of full-year
operating profit deviates by approximately SEK 25 M compared with the previous
assessment.

In comparable stores in Sweden, Group sales declined 2.1% in the quarter. The
two business areas that accounted for the sharpest deviations were Brothers &
Sisters and Polarn O. Pyret. The restructuring of Brothers & Sisters continued
during the quarter, which has had a negative impact on sales. Sales for Brothers
& Sisters has furthermore been executed under margin pressure with an adverse
impact on result as a consequence. Polarn O. Pyret reported the weakest sales
trend for the quarter with a drop in sales, primarily in July, but also weak
sales in June and August. However, healthy gross margins were maintained,
particularly in August.

"The market trend was weak in the fourth quarter, particularly in June.
Increased macroeconomic concerns in our business environment have made consumers
more cautious. The entire clothing sector is still suffering the effects of
surplus inventories, resulting in intensified competition for consumers' money
through increases in discount sales and more special offers to the customers. We
are also experiencing more intense competition from traditional competitors as
well as from new operators and e-commerce. The sportswear sector is an
aggressive competitor of Polarn O. Pyret, particularly in certain segments.
Taken together, this is resulting in either squeezed margins or reduced sales
volumes, thus leading to lower-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter,"
says Magnus Håkansson, President and CEO of RNB Retail and Brands.

The trend in the Departments & Stores business area remained stable and
favorable in terms of both sales and earnings. For the quarter JC continues to
develop as planned and reported a stronger result year-on-year. The initial
signs indicate that the repositioning of JC has been well-received by customers.
The Group has a stable foundation to develop from, with secure financing
combined with healthy inventories.

"Our assessment is that the market trend will remain challenging for the
remainder of 2012 and in early 2013. As part of efforts to counter the tough
climate and create long-term profitability, we will continue to focus on
implementing efficiency-enhancing measures to realize operational synergies and
to increase our cost-efficiency. Over the past year, we have implemented a
number of activities under our program of change and are maintaining a high
tempo in our change efforts. It is important to point out that the company has a
well-balanced inventory, that the discontinuation of JC Norway has been
completed and no longer negatively impacts Group earnings and that JC in Sweden
is continuing to develop well. This bodes well for positive performance when the
market does turn," says Magnus Håkansson.

For further information, please contact:
Magnus Håkansson, CEO, RNB RETAIL AND BRANDS,
+46 8 410 520 02, +46 768 87 20 02,
e-mail:  magnus.hakansson@rnb.se


The information is such that RNB RETAIL AND BRANDS AB (publ) is required to
disclose in accordance with the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act and/or
the Swedish Securities Market Act. The information was submitted for publishing
on September 6, 201, at 08.01 a.m.

RNB RETAIL AND BRANDS owns, operates and develops fashion, clothing,
accessories, jewelry and cosmetics stores that focus on providing excellent
service and a world-class shopping experience. Sales are mainly conducted in
Scandinavia through the three store concepts Brothers & Sisters, JC and Polarn
O. Pyret, as well as through shops in the department stores NK in Stockholm and
Gothenburg. RNB RETAIL AND BRANDS has operation in 10 countries. RNB RETAIL AND
BRANDS has been listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange since 2001.

[HUG#1639049]