Year-end Report

ASG Group Year-end Report January 1 - December 31, 1998 ASG in brief 1998 1997 Net sales, excl. Frigoscandia, SEK M 11 965 11 770 Net sales, SEK M 11 965 14 760 Operating profit/loss, excl. Frigoscandia and noncomparable items, SEK M 123 -63 Operating profit, SEK M 123 1 125 Profit after financial items, SEK M 176 1 030 Profit per share, SEK 8.06 60.37 Return on shareholders´ equity, %¹ 5.6 44.3 Net debt/equity ratio, times -0.1 -0.6 Excluding noncomparable items, return on hareholders' equity amounted to 4.9 % (1.5). All definitions are presented on page 7. Sharp earnings improvement for comparable units. ASG Group operating profit improved by SEK 186 M. All business areas showed improved operating profit with the exception of Logistics. Business areas Domestic & Parcel and European Road Transport reported strong increase in earnings compared with the preceding year. ASG and CityMail established a jointly owned company, ASG Direct AB, for parcel deliveries to private homes. ASG Direct AB will begin operations in the spring of 1999, with initial concentration in Sweden. The Board of Directors propose a higher dividend of SEK 5.00 per share (3.75), an increase of 33 %. Jörgen Ekberg, President and CEO, ASG AB, Tel +46 8 402 58 88 Claes Gard, Chief Financial Officer, Tel +46 8 402 58 30 Caroline Rosén, Director Corporate Communications, Tel +46 8 402 58 99/70 602 58 99 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/02/16/19990216BIT00400/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/02/16/19990216BIT00400/bit0002.pdf