AGM Statement

Quarto Group Inc
27 April 2001

27 April 2001


                           THE QUARTO GROUP, INC
                    EXTRACT FROM CHAIRMAN'S AGM STATEMENT

Further progress expected

At the AGM this afternoon in London of Quarto, the London-based and listed
international publisher, the Chairman & Chief Executive, Laurence F Orbach,
will state:

'As usual, at the time of our AGM, I take this opportunity to provide
shareholders with a brief trading update.

According to our management accounts, sales in the first quarter were in line
with the Board's expectations. The bottom line was marginally better than
forecasted.  Much of Quarto's business is seasonal, and the first quarter is
always a quiet time for the Group. Typically, only 16-17% of the Group's
annual sales are generated in this quarter.

To iron out seasonality, Quarto assesses performance internally by using
trailing 12 months' figures.  On this basis, for the 12 months to 31 March
2001, operating profits increased 3% to £6.04m, on turnover which was down 4%
at £73.7m. (As previously explained, the weakness of the Euro during this
period largely counts for the 9% sales fall at our International Co-edition
Publishing division. Turnover in the Publishing division was up 3%).

We remain comfortable that, relative to 2000, further progress will be made in
2001, despite the lingering weakness of the Euro.

In our own book publishing operations, we have not experienced any direct
evidence of economic slowdown. Sell through of books continues to be strong.
Forward orders are more mixed: some buyers are undoubtedly responding
cautiously to the wider economic picture, and others remain robustly confident
in the continuing strength of the market for books. We are cautiously
optimistic that, as in past periods of recession, book publishing may be
relatively insulated from wider economic trends.'

Enquiries:

The Quarto Group, Inc
    020-77-00-90-00

  Laurence F Orbach (Chief Executive)

  Mick Mousley (Finance Director)

Bankside Consultants Limited
020-72-20-74-77

  Charles Ponsonby


Notes for Editors:



Quarto's International Co-edition Publishing Division primarily creates
consumer books for publication internationally by other publishers, in which
sphere it is probably the world's largest specialist. It also includes Regent
and ProVision, which are Far East-based print broking and production
supervision services businesses, serving both third parties and the Group.

Quarto's Publishing Division primarily publishes books, under imprints owned
by the group, and art images, mainly for their domestic markets and from US
locations.   In addition, it includes two UK-based screen printers primarily
serving the point of sale display market, Western and AP Screen.

Although a Delaware registered corporation, Quarto's Head Office is situated
in Islington, London N7 and its shares are fully listed on the London Stock
Exchange.