OREANDA-NEWS. JSC “The Seventh Continent” (further referred to as the Company) 3Q 2007 gross sales increased 34% YoY. 3Q 2007 Like-For-Like sales (LFL) increased 18%, the company's press service reports. Growth of regional sales (outside the Moscow market) reached 88% in the 3Q 2007. The fastest growth in sales was in the hypermarket format with 3Q 2007 sales growth of 82% YoY. Based on management accounts, the Company’s 3Q 2007 gross retail sales[The sales figure includes gross retail sales including VAT and does not include other revenues] increased 34% and reached USD 325 mn. 9M 2007 sales reached USD 983 mln and increased 32% compared to 9M 2006.

As of the end of September 2007, the Company managed 125 stores, including 119 supermarkets and 6 hypermarkets. As of the end of June 2007, the selling space of the Company’s chain of stores under the brands “Seventh Continent”, “Nash Hypermarket” (“Our Hypermarket”) and “Prostor” accounts for 145 th. sq. m. and for the year passed has increased by 12%.

The average ticket in the Company’s chain of stores for the 3Q 2007 has grown 21% compared to the similar period of 2006 and reached $13.1 USD. The number of customers in the Company’s chain of stores has reached 24.8 mln in 3Q 2007 and increased 11% compared to the same period of 2006. The number of customers for 9M 2007 has increased 12% YoY and amounted to 74.7 mln.

3Q 2007 Like-For-Like sales (LFL)[For the stores operational before 31.12.2005 and that worked full 2006 and full 9 months 2007] increased 18% in dollar terms and 12.2% in ruble terms. 9M 2007 Like-For-Like sales (LFL) were up 16.8% in dollar terms and 10.3% in ruble terms. On July 31, 2007, the Company has signed a USD 36 mln facility loan agreement with the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) with a 3-year maturity period. The Loan terms include semi-annual interest periods and a grace period. The interest rate is established as 6-month LIBOR + 1.5%. On 27th of September 2007, the Company has repaid to Dresdner Bank AG London Branch USD 31.8 mln of the rest of the principal loan amount. The 2-year facility in the total amount of USD 90 mln with an interest rate of 7.25% per annum was acquired in September 2005.