Fog Cutter Capital Group Inc. Reports Sale of Barcelona Investment Property

Business Wire, Nov 28, 2005

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Fog Cutter Capital Group Inc. (OTC:FCCG) reported today that it has sold its interest in the 10 unit Rierta apartment building located in Barcelona, Spain. The Company will receive 750,000 euro (approximately $880,000) in cash in the transaction, which valued the apartment building at 1.7 million euro (approximately $2.0 million). The Company earned a 29% annualized return on its investment.

The Rierta property was the first of four apartment buildings in Barcelona that Fog Cutter has invested in over the last 18 months. The Company's strategy is to relocate existing tenants, improve the common areas and sell the units as individual condominiums. The acquisition and improvement costs for the four projects totaled approximately 13.6 million euro ($16.0 million). The projects were funded through a combination of local (Spanish) bank financing and capital contributions from the Company and a minority partner / project manager.

With the sale of the Rierta property, Fog Cutter continues to hold 48 apartment units in three separate locations in Barcelona. "We are pleased with the results of the Rierta sale," commented Chief Investment Officer David Dale-Johnson. "We continue to be enthusiastic about the Barcelona real estate market and believe our remaining holdings are well positioned for success."

The business strategy of Fog Cutter Capital Group consists of developing, strengthening and expanding its restaurant and commercial real estate mortgage brokerage operations and continuing to identify other financing opportunities with favorable risk-adjusted returns. The Company also seeks to identify and acquire controlling interests in operating businesses in which it can add value. The Company's operating segments consist of (i) restaurant operations conducted through Fatburger Holdings, Inc., (ii) commercial real estate mortgage brokerage activities conducted through George Elkins Mortgage Banking Company and (iii) real estate, merchant banking and financing activities.

Forward Looking Statements

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements so long as those statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in such statements. All of the statements contained in this release, which are not identified as historical, should be considered forward-looking. In connection with certain forward-looking statements contained in this release and those that may be made in the future by or on behalf of the company which are identified as forward-looking, the Company notes that there are various factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to, effectiveness of operating initiatives; success in advertising and promotional efforts; changes in global and local business and economic conditions, including their impact on consumer confidence; fluctuations in interest rates and to a lesser degree currency exchange rates; food, labor and other operating costs; competition, including pricing and marketing initiatives and new product offerings by the Company's competitors; consumer preferences or perceptions concerning the Company's product offerings; spending patterns and demographic trends; availability of qualified personnel (including restaurant personnel); severe weather conditions; existence of positive or negative publicity regarding the Company or its industry generally; the real estate market; the availability of real estate assets at acceptable prices; the opportunities in the specialty lending market; the creditworthiness and default experience of the Company's borrowers; the availability of financing; interest rates; European markets; effects of legal claims or Nasdaq or government investigations; cost and deployment of capital; changes in future effective tax rates; changes in governmental regulations; the impact of changes in management and changes in applicable accounting policies and practices. The foregoing list of important factors is not all-inclusive. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements contained in this release will be realized or that actual results will not be significantly higher or lower. The forward-looking statements have not been audited by, examined by, or subjected to agreed-upon procedures by independent accountants, and no third party has independently verified or reviewed such statements. Readers of this release should consider these facts in evaluating the information contained herein. The inclusion of the forward-looking statements contained in this release should not be regarded as a representation by the company or any other person that the forward-looking statements contained in this release will be achieved. In light of the foregoing, readers of this release are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained herein.