MarineMax Acquires Minnesota Based Cochran Marine

Business Wire, July 7, 1998

CLEARWATER, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 7, 1998--MarineMax, Inc. (NYSE: HZO) announced today that it has acquired Cochran's Marine, Inc. and C&N Marine Corporation (Cochran Marine) in a stock-for-stock merger. Cochran Marine, a Minnesota-based recreational boat retailer, had 1997 sales of approximately $25 million.

"MarineMax is changing the way recreational boats are brought to market and enjoyed by the customer by taking the hassle out of the boating experience," said MarineMax Chairman and Chief Executive Officer William H. McGill, Jr., "Cochran Marine is an ideal fit with MarineMax. It expands our geographic reach into the nations third largest boating market, and management shares our operating philosophy on how to better serve the boating public. Further, we expect to capitalize on marketing and administrative synergies as we integrate our operations."

MarineMax is the nation's largest recreational boat retailer with 1997 calendar sales of approximately $214 million. The Cochran Marine acquisition adds five Midwest retail outlets, increasing the MarineMax network to 33 locations nationwide. Under the terms of the transaction, MarineMax will issue 723,000 shares of its common stock, which represents approximately 5 percent of the shares outstanding.

MarineMax sells primarily Sea Ray recreational boats, Boston Whaler fishing boats and Baja high-performance boats through retail locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Texas and Minnesota. MarineMax, a New York Stock Exchange-listed company, completed its initial public offering on June 3, 1998.

    CONTACT:  MarineMax
               Michael H. McLamb, Chief Financial Officer
               813/531-1700, ext. 102