West 49 Inc. announces new credit facility

- New, senior secured facility better supports Company's long-term growth plans -

Toronto Stock Exchange Symbol: WXX

BURLINGTON, ON, Feb. 24 /CNW/ - West 49 Inc. (TSX: WXX) (the "Company"), Canada's leading action sport retailer, today announced that it has received a new senior secured asset-based credit facility (the "ABL Facility") from the Bank of Montreal. The three-year, $25 million committed ABL Facility is structured for financing general operations and capital spending.

"We recently evaluated our capital alternatives and ultimately selected Bank of Montreal based on their understanding of our business and long-term objectives," said Rhonda Biddix, Chief Financial Officer of West 49 Inc. "Increased availability and more competitive rates also factored into the decision. In short, we believe the new ABL Facility provides more liquidity and flexibility to support our long-term growth plans."

The Company has also announced that it has retired all of its previous credit facilities with CIBC. The amount outstanding prior to repayment was approximately $4.8 million.

About West 49 Inc.

West 49 Inc. is a leading Canadian specialty retailer of fashion and apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment related to the youth action sports lifestyle. The Company's stores, which are primarily mall-based, carry a variety of high-performance, premium brand name and private label products that fulfill the lifestyle needs of identified target markets, primarily tweens and teens. The Company currently operates 136 stores in nine provinces, under the banners West 49, Billabong, Off The Wall, Amnesia/Arsenic and D-Tox. The Company's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WXX. The Company has approximately 64 million shares outstanding.

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Forward-Looking Statements

Information in this news release that is not current or historical factual information may constitute forward-looking information. Implicit in this information, particularly in respect of future operating results and economic performance of the Company are assumptions regarding projected revenue, gross margin and expenses. The assumptions, although considered reasonable by the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and numerous other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. The following includes some of the factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any forward-looking information made by or on behalf of the Company: competition, changes in demographic trends, changes in consumer preferences and discretionary spending patterns, changes in business and economic conditions, human resource matters, legal proceedings, challenges to intellectual property rights, and changes in laws, regulations, and accounting policies and practices. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. In formulating the forward-looking information contained herein, management has assumed that business and economic conditions affecting the Company's operations will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to industry conditions, general levels of economic activity, laws, regulations, taxes, foreign exchange rates, minimum wage rates and interest rates, weather, that there will be no outbreaks of disease or public safety issues, and that there will be no unplanned material changes in its facilities, equipment, supplies, with respect to relations with customers, suppliers, landlords and employees, or with respect to credit availability, among other things. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company includes in publicly available documents filed from time to time with securities commissions and the Toronto Stock Exchange, a thorough discussion of the risk factors that can cause anticipated outcomes to differ from actual outcomes. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this news release only, it should not be relied upon as of any other date, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise this information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as expressly required by law.

For further information: Rhonda Biddix, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, West 49 Inc., [phone] ext. 224, E-mail: [email protected]; Trevor Heisler, Investor Relations, The Equicom Group Inc., [phone] ext. 270, E-mail: [email protected]