PRESS RELEASE REGARDING YEAR-END REPORT 2004 (JANUARY 1 – DECEMBER 31, 2004) FOR AB NOVESTRA (PUBL)

SUMMARY FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The net result for the year amounted to MSEK 45.7 (20.1) which corresponds to a result amounting to SEK 1.3 (0.8) per share. Shareholders’ equity as at December 31, 2004 amounted to MSEK 420.0 (292.5) corresponding to SEK 11.3 (9.4) per share. Equity/assets ratio amounted to 92.6% (90.4).

Cash and cash equivalents, including investments made within the liquidity management and accounted for as current investments, amounted to MSEK 88.3 (46.0) corresponding to SEK 2.4 (1.5) per share. Together with the public holdings, liquid assets amounted to MSEK 235.1 (137.3) (including unrealised surplus values) as at December 31, 2004.

Revenue in the private portfolio has increased, on average, by 38%. All private portfolio companies showed improvements in results and at the year-end 2004 positive cash flows. Larger holdings have experienced further acceleration in revenue growth in the beginning of 2005.
For the full year 2004, the return in the public portfolio amounted to 26.6% and, since investments in public companies was initiated in the 4th quarter 2003, the return has amounted to 40.0%. At year-end 2004, unrealised results in the public portfolio amounted to MSEK 14.7 (11.3).
The proposed ordinary dividend to shareholders is SEK 1.00 (0.00) per share.

With current market conditions there are opportunities for improvements in results during 2005, even if none of the larger private holdings are divested during the year.

“We are pleased with the development in our venture portfolio as well as in our investments in public companies. After enduring a few demanding years, we have now entered a phase where we see more opportunities than challenges in our portfolio companies. With current market conditions indications are that 2005 will become a good year for Novestra,” Novestra’s Managing Director Peter Ekelund says.
For further information, please contact Mr Peter Ekelund, Managing Director, Phone No. +46 8 545 017 50.

About AB Novestra
Novestra is an independent investment company with a portfolio of small cap private as well as public companies. Novestra focuses on investing in companies with substantial growth or value potential.

Novestra’s portfolio of companies consists of i.a. Bytek Systems AB, Explorica, Inc., IBS AB (publ), inWarehouse AB (publ), Lagercrantz Group AB (publ), MyPublisher, Inc., Netsurvey AB,
Pergo AB (publ), Qbranch AB and Strax Holdings, Inc. as well as Speedera Networks, Inc. through the co-investment vehicle Continuum Group Ltd. The Novestra shares are listed on the O List of the Stockholm Stock Exchange. For further information regarding AB Novestra, please see www.novestra.com .

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