Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. profits up fof 5th consecutive year.

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 25, 1997--ALIMENT COUCHE (ME:ATD.A. ATD.B.) In the fiscal year ended April 27, 1997, Alimentation Couche-Tard earned a net income of $5,463,000 up 7.6 percent from $5,079,000 in 1996. Based on a higher average weighted number of outstanding shares last year -- or 10,877,655 compared to 9,971,890 in 1996, per-share earnings for 1997 amounted to $0.50 compared to $0.51 the year before. The higher profits stem from a 5.8 percent increase in sales, which totalled $390.1 million in 1997 as against $368.6 million in 1996, a better gross margin on store revenue, and tight control over operating costs.

In the fourth quarter, which spanned 12 weeks of operations, Couche-Tard posted sales of $86.7 million, up 1.8 percent from $85.2 million in the same period of 1996. Net income totaled $622,000 compared to $678,000 in 1996. Per-share earnings amounted to $0.05 in 1997 as against $0.06 in 1996. The gains in sales and store margins were insufficient to offset the decline in gasoline revenue due to a price war.

Given that on May 18th Couche-Tard completed its acquisition of all shares of C Corp -- the Provigo subsidiary that operates 245 Provi- Soir outlets in Quebec and 50 Winks and Red Rooster stores in Ontario and Western Canada -- the transaction had no impact on fiscal 1996-97 results.

CONTACT: ALIMENTATION COUCHE-TARD INC.

Richard Fortin, 514/662-3272