CompUSA To Be Spun Off To New Holding Company; Procedures Initiated to Form New Entity.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 4, 2001

Grupo Carso, S.A. de C.V. ("GCarso") and Grupo Sanborns, S.A. de C.V. ("GSanborns") announced today that by a resolution of their respective Boards of Directors they have initiated a procedure under which all shares of CompUSA Inc. ("CompUSA") held by GSanborns, which represent 51% of the capital stock of CompUSA, will be transferred, at the end of the procedure, to a new listed holding company. The transaction is subject to approval at the General Shareholders Meetings of the companies, as well as the approval of the relevant authorities.

The key steps that will bring about this corporate restructuring are: (i) the spin off from GSanborns of a new holding company that will hold 51% of CompUSA's shares, (ii) the subsequent spin off from GCarso of a new holding company that will own the shares of the entity spun-off from GSanborns, and, concurrently, (iii) the merger of the resulting two newly spun-off holding companies.

As a consequence, at the conclusion of this transaction, the shareholders of both GCarso and GSanborns will receive shares of a new company whose assets will consist essentially of 51% of CompUSA's shares plus the equivalent in Mexican pesos of 200 million dollars in cash. It is expected that, after the corporate restructuring is concluded, the new Mexican holding company will be listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange, distinct from GCarso and GSanborns.

"This is a very positive event for CompUSA and a tremendous vote of confidence from our parent company," said Hal Compton, CEO for CompUSA. "It will allow us the strength and flexibility to achieve many of our goals."

The main objective will be to achieve greater financial and operating efficiencies of all companies involved, and that the definitive CompUSA controlling entity will be able to manage and invest in the retailing sector within the U.S., with no financial liabilities and a healthy cash position to develop and support its operation.

CompUSA will continue to focus on its core business of selling technological solutions through its chain of retail stores in the United States of America.

About CompUSA

CompUSA Inc. (www.compusa.com) is one of the nation's leading retailers and resellers of personal computers and related products and services. CompUSA Inc. currently operates 218 CompUSA Computer Superstores in 84 major metropolitan markets across the United States that serve retail, corporate, government and education customers and includes technical service departments. Many of the stores include classroom training facilities.

Certain statements in this press release including statements concerning expected operations and financial results are "forward-looking statements". The operations are subject to a number of risk factors, which may cause actual results to vary materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements should be evaluated in light of these important risk factors.