Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana Tallies Earnings of USD 155.0 Million in 2009 MEDELLIN, Colombia, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continuing the positive trend registered in the first six months of the year, GRUPO DE INVERSIONES SURAMERICANA (OTC:GIVSYOTC:-OTC:BVC:OTC:GRUPOSURA) yesterday presented its financial results for the third quarter, which show earnings growth of 176% compared to the same period in 2008, adding up to USD 155.0 million as of September 30, 2009, while the earnings figures for June 30 came to USD 109.6 million. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090602/ARTU002LOGO ) As of September 30, operating revenues reached a total of USD 183.2 million, indicating in a very positive manner the good performance achieved by the Company's subsidiaries. Taken together, revenues are broken down chiefly as follows: -- Earnings based on a profit sharing method of USD 116.7 million, coming from the subsidiaries Suramericana S.A., Portafolio de Inversiones Suramericana S.A., Inversiones y Construcciones Estrategicas S.A., Suramericana BVI and Enlace Operativo S.A. -- Dividends and interest of USD 52.4 million, which the Company declared in the third quarter from its investments, which grew 12.2% with respect to dividends received for the same period of the previous year. -- Earnings on sales of investments came to USD 9.5 million. -- The appreciation of market prices allowed for earnings of USD 4.1 million, thanks to the appreciation of shares classified as negotiable, which reduced their volatility compared to the year before, due to the reclassification of a large part of their investments, which went from being negotiable to permanent in October of 2008. As for the Company's balance sheet, assets register a total of USD 6.7 billion, with an increase of 49.3% compared to December of 2008, due principally to the rise in prices for shares listed on the stock exchange and the greater intrinsic value of those that are not listed. Also included under this heading are receivable dividends, which are in the order of USD 32.6 million, which will signify substantial resources for the fourth quarter of this year, as well as cash flow of USD 44.7 million, which is to be allocated for payment of the syndicated loan contracted by one of the subsidiaries of GRUPO DE INVERSIONES SURAMERICANA. Finally, total liabilities came to USD 135.0 million, for an indebtedness coefficient of 2.0% and net worth of USD 6.6 billion. Over the course of the year, GRUPO DE INVERSIONES SURAMERICANA has expressed confidence in a gradual improvement of Colombia's economic indicators. Because of this, in disclosing these new results, which are partly due to the positive trend that has taken hold in the country's stock market (Bolsa de Valores de Colombia), the Company is renewing its confidence and optimism for the final months of the year. REGARDING SHAREHOLDER COMPOSITION As per a material fact disclosed in the first two weeks of October, GRUPO DE INVERSIONES SURAMERICANA underwent a change in its shareholder composition when Colinversiones went from holding an 11.2% to 3.4% participation in the Company. Their shares were acquired in the stock market by more than 600 shareholders, nearly 75% of them individuals, with the remaining percentage consisting of Pension Funds and other institutional investors. Thus, as of October 15, the total number of shareholders of GRUPO DE INVERSIONES SURAMERICANA was 8,210, of which 83 are international funds. This last figure has grown in the past year by nearly 24%. ABOUT GRUPO DE INVERSIONES SURAMERICANA Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana is a holding company, listed on the Colombian Stock Exchange and registered as a Level 1 ADR program in the United States. It has a portfolio of investments grouped in two major segments: the first, called Strategic Investments, is made up of the financial services sector, insurance and social security, as well as related services. The second segment, called Portfolio Investments, essentially combines the food and cement sectors. Management is focused on the Strategic Investment segment, taking part in the administration of the companies in which it invests and seeking to develop synergies among them, as well as new opportunities for the creation, growth and expansion of its businesses. The companies that make up this portfolio are leaders in their markets and are distinguished by their results, as well as for having a solid corporate reputation. Contact Luis Eduardo Martinez Investor Relations Analyst (57 4) 4355729 http://www.gruposuramericana.com.co/ http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090602/ARTU002LOGO DATASOURCE: Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana CONTACT: Monica Guarin Montoya, Communications Director, +011-574-435-5935, Fax, +011-574-260-0916, , or Luis Eduardo Martinez, Investor Relations Analyst, +011-574-435-5728, , both of Suramericana Web site: http://www.gruposuramericana.com.co/

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