—Grupo Salinas companies promote the creation of economic value with goods and services that
strengthen the well-being of millions of families and the progress of businesses—

—From a social perspective, Juguetón, the world's largest toy drive,
generated more than 17 million smiles on children in need—

—To support the environment, in 17 years, Un Nuevo Bosque
has made possible the planting of more than 7 million trees in forests and urban areas—

—Limpiemos México, the largest cleaning campaign in the country,
brought together more than 5 million people to pick up 25,000 tons of waste—

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grupo Salinas, a group of dynamic, fast-growing and technologically advanced companies, deeply committed to the modernization of the countries where they operate, and founded by entrepreneur Ricardo Salinas, announced today that during 2019 its companies generated increasing economic value through world-class goods and services in the financial, commercial, telecommunications and media sectors, which effectively boosted the well-being of millions of families and the progress of businesses. The Group companies operate in Mexico, the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Peru.

Grupo Elektra, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: ELEKTRA*; Latibex: XEKT), Latin America’s leading specialty retailer and financial services company, and the largest non-bank provider of cash advance services in the United States, significantly enhanced its strong performance, with a 15% growth in consolidated revenues during the first nine months of the year.

Banco Azteca added more than 22 million deposit accounts in Mexico as of September 30, 2019, a significant figure for a country with 32 million homes, which allowed to promote financial inclusion in the communities in which it operates. At the end of September, bank deposits grew 21%, to 146,593 million pesos, while the loan portfolio increased 20%, to 93,102 million pesos, with a delinquency rate of 3.7%, compared to 4.5% of the previous year.

The revenues of the commercial business of Grupo Elektra grew 16% during the first nine months of 2019, derived from strategies that allow the retailing of products and services that effectively meet the needs of millions of people, with optimal customer service and the most competitive conditions. These strategies have an additional boost through the omnichannel operations, through the online store www.elektra.com.mx, in which thousands of products are offered at unparalleled prices, from any device and at any time.

Italika, with its innovative motorcycle models, provided reliable, safe transportation alternatives that reduce the travel time to thousands of users, and efficient fuel use, contributing to a better environment and resulting in a solid positioning, which translates into more than 60% market share in Mexico.

Meanwhile, TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AZTECACPO; Latibex: XTZA), consolidated itself in the preference of millions of people, thanks to the creation of agile content of superior quality that connects with large audiences. During the year, live entertainment programs, timely information offer and pluralistic analysis were promoted to contribute to a freer Mexico, as well as world-class sports content and exciting action and drama stories — among which the popular Hernán series stands out — which allowed us to achieve remarkable success levels in our four national channels and digital platforms.

Totalplay continued to firmly strengthen its presence in the Mexican market, through its advanced triple play services, which, thanks to the widest network of fiber optic direct to the home in the country, offers technologically advanced alternatives with the highest quality and speed in the market.

To the important creation of economic value, Grupo Salinas added the generation of social value with initiatives for the well-being of its more than 110,000 employees in six countries in the Americas.

Similarly, the Fundación Azteca de Grupo Salinas, an institution that sets in motion the values of the organization, generated important initiatives that added broad social and environmental value; among them are five editions of Movimiento Azteca which through television campaigns, direct donation to non-profit associations with noble causes was promoted. These campaigns raised 130 million pesos which supported initiatives ranging from the purchase of more than 3,000 bed-chairs for health centers, to the acquisition of 60 new Red Cross ambulances. In this line, over 13 years, Fundación Azteca has contributed to the delivery of 1,519 ambulances, an amount that represents more than 50% of the Red Cross' vehicles, offering around 1,400,000 services a year.

Plantel Azteca provided quality secondary and high school education, with values and technical excellence to 2,100 low-income students with outstanding academic performance, all in scholarships. Fundación Azteca de Grupo Salinas also expands its solid educational model geographically and boosts the talent of outstanding youth through the Escuela de Talentos Azteca-Puebla, as well as with the Escuela de Talentos Azteca-León. Since its creation in 1997, 20 generations of senior high school students and 17 generations of junior high school students from Plantel Azteca have graduated, adding up to more than 12,000 alumni.

Through Juguetón — the world's largest toy drive — in 2019, more than 17 million toys were received and distributed to children in need during the Three Kings Day. In the 24 editions, the program has distributed more than 240 million toys, which generate joy and smiles in a growing number of families. Recently, Juguetón and UNICEF — the United Nations Children's Fund — formed a three-year alliance, which will initially protect the development of children and teenagers on their migratory route through Mexico.

Through many of its programs, Grupo Salinas promoted the well-being of thousands of families in Mexico, the United States and Central and South America.

Kybernus, an initiative that aims to form skills for youth leadership and generate enabling environments for a prosperous, inclusive and free country, currently has more than 2,000 participants in the 32 states across Mexico which inspire, with their example, values and commitment, and they are able to move from proposals to action to contribute to a better future.

The twelfth edition of La Ciudad de las Ideas was sponsored, which under the theme “This is Epic”, disseminated cutting-edge thinking and provocative concepts of more than 60 notable personalities who revealed — to thousands of attendees in the City of Puebla, and thousands more through broadcast television and digital media — topics related to science, philosophy, business, art and culture, among many other subjects of growing interest, that allow a better understanding of the human being and his environment.

Caminos de la Libertad was also supported, which, through contests, seminars, courses and presentations, provoked reflection on the value of freedom. In addition, it awarded the Una Vida por la Libertad prize to the Cuban writer and politician Carlos Alberto Montaner, author of more than 25 books, journalist and defender of freedom in Cuba and Latin America.

Also, Arte & Cultura Grupo Salinas contributed to the construction of the cultural legacy of Mexico, through the support of projects to preserve artisanal traditions and design, the sponsorship of artistic activities, and the management of its own cultural agenda and written media. Among many other activities, in collaboration with the National Museum of Anthropology, it exhibited La invención de la Memoria. Fotografía y Arqueología en México, which brought together 225 images, covering 150 years of archeological development and its institutional record in our country.

Through the national reforestation campaign Un Nuevo Bosque, more than 115,000 trees were planted in forests and metropolitan areas of Mexico thanks to the support of thousands of volunteers and public institutions. In 17 years, more than 7 million trees have been planted, in benefit of the environment and Mexican society.

Additionally, the tenth edition of the largest cleaning campaign in the country, Limpiemos México, took place, through which more than 5 million volunteers joined to pick up 25,000 tons of waste in rivers, streets, forests, parks and beaches throughout the country, which generated awareness that littering is unacceptable.

Grupo Salinas adds economic, social and environmental value since 1906, and has the firm goal to generate inclusive prosperity to promote the wellbeing and progress to millions of families in 2020.

About Grupo Salinas

Grupo Salinas (www.gruposalinas.com) is a group of dynamic, fast growing, and technologically advanced companies focused on creating economic value through market innovation and goods and services that improve standards of living; social value, to create social capabilities to improve communities; and environmental value, by reducing the negative impact of business activities. Created by Mexican entrepreneur Ricardo B. Salinas (www.ricardosalinas.com), Grupo Salinas operates as a management development and decision forum for the top leaders of member companies. These companies include TV Azteca (www.TVazteca.com; www.irtvazteca.com), Grupo Elektra (www.grupoelektra.com.mx), Banco Azteca (www.bancoazteca.com.mx), Advance America (www.advanceamerica.net), Afore Azteca (www.aforeazteca.com.mx), Seguros Azteca (www.segurosazteca.com.mx), Punto Casa de Bolsa (www.puntocasadebolsa.mx), Totalplay (www.totalplay.com.mx) and Totalplay Empresarial (totalplayempresarial.com.mx). TV Azteca and Grupo Elektra trade on the Mexican Stock Exchange and are part of its Sustainability Index. Each of the Grupo Salinas companies operates independently, with its own management, board of directors and shareholders. Grupo Salinas has no equity holdings. The group of companies share a common vision, values and strategies for achieving rapid growth, superior results and world-class performance.

Press Relations:

Luciano Pascoe, +52 (55) 1720 1313 ext. 36553, lpascoe@gruposalinas.com.mx