Sales and Operating Income Increased 8.90% and 2.75%, Respectively

MEXICO CITY, July 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Grupo Casa Saba (NYSE: SAB) ('Saba', 'GCS', 'the Company' or 'the Group'), one of the leading Mexican distributors of pharmaceutical products, health and beauty aids, personal care and consumer goods, general merchandise, publications and other products, announces its consolidated financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2009.

Financial Highlights:

(All figures are expressed in millions of Mexican pesos of purchasing power as of June 2009. Comparisons are made with the same period of 2008, unless otherwise stated. Figures may vary due to rounding practices.)

    - Sales for the quarter were $7,579.09 million, an increase of 8.90%
    - Gross income rose 12.42% to reach $832.64 million
    - The gross margin for the quarter grew to 10.99% compared to 10.64% in
      2Q08
    - Quarterly operating expenses as a percentage of sales were 7.73%
    - Operating income increased 2.75% versus 2Q08
    - The operating margin for the quarter was 3.26%
    - Operating income plus depreciation and amortization for the period was
      $269.88 million, an increase of 4.17% compared to 2Q08
    - Net profit for the quarter was $147.03 million
    - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter was $199.15 million
                              QUARTERLY EARNINGS

NET SALES

During the second quarter of 2009, GCS's sales were $7,579.09 million, an increase of 8.90%.

    SALES BY DIVISION

PRIVATE PHARMA

Sales in our Private Pharma division rose 10.85% during the second quarter of 2009, as a result of the consolidation of investments that were made within the sector. This includes the acquisition of Drogasmil Medicamento e Perfumeria, S.A., in Brazil in May 2008 as well as the growth in our retail sales division in Mexico. In addition, our commercial strategies also had a positive effect on our sales.

Sales for this division reached $6,457.01 million versus $5,825.07 million in 2Q08 and represented 85.20% of the Group's total sales.

GOVERNMENT PHARMA

Sales in our Government Pharma division increased 5.63% to $288.41 million compared to $273.04 million in the second quarter of 2008.