Interim report 1 January–30 June 2006

First half of 2006 compared with 2005 • Net sales amounted to SEK 50,694m (46,504). • Net profit for the period amounted to SEK 2,490m (1,668). • Earnings per share amounted to SEK 10.58 (7.09). • Profit before tax amounted to SEK 3,277m (2,255). In the previous year, profit before tax, adjusted for items affecting comparability, amounted to SEK 2,680m, an improvement of 22%. Second quarter of 2006 compared with the first quarter of 2006 • Net sales amounted to SEK 25,294m (25,400). • Net profit for the period amounted to SEK 1,321m (1,169). • Earnings per share amounted to SEK 5.62 (4.96). • Profit before tax amounted to SEK 1,708m (1,569), an improvement of 9%. • Debt/equity ratio amounted to 0.70 (0.65). For further information, please contact: Jan Åström, President and CEO. Telephone: +46 8 788 51 25. Bodil Eriksson, SVP, Communications and Investor Relations. Telephone: +46 8 788 52 34 or +46 70 629 66 34. IR: Andreas Koch. Telephone: +46 8 788 51 30 or +46 70 666 02 09. Media: Pär Altan. Telephone: +46 8 788 52 37 or +46 70 386 52 37.