OREANDA-NEWS. OJSC "Magnit", Russia's largest retailer (the "Company"; MICEX and LSE: MGNT), is pleased to announce the opening of the 163rd hypermarket of a small format.

Please be informed that on March 1, 2014 the Company has opened its 163rd hypermarket of a small format located at 71, Platovsky prospect, Novocherkassk, Rostov region, Southern federal district. Assortment of the hypermarket consists of about 7,500 SKUs, out of which about 82% are food items. There are 15 cash desks installed in the sales area. The outlet is owned by the Company. The hypermarket is open 7 days a week from 8 am to 10 pm.

Magnit is Russia's largest retailer. Founded in 1994, the company is headquartered in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar. As of December 31, 2013, Magnit operated 22 distribution centers and over 8,000 stores (7,200 convenience, 207 hypermarkets, and 686 cosmetics) in more than 1,868 cities and towns throughout 7 federal regions of the Russian Federation.

In accordance with the unaudited IFRS management accounts for 2013, Magnit had revenues of USD 18,202 million USD and an EBITDA of USD 2,032 million USD. Magnit's local shares are traded on the Moscow Stock Exchange (MICEX: MGNT) and its GDRs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: MGNT) and it has a credit rating from Standard & Poor's of BB. Measured by market capitalization, Magnit is now Europe's 2nd largest retailer.