HUG Hughes Supply

Hughes Supply Named 'Most Admired Company' by FORTUNE Magazine in Wholesalers: Diversified Industry Category Ranked #1 in Its Industry ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- FORTUNE magazine named Hughes Supply (NYSE:HUG) to the number one position on its 2005 Most Admired Companies list in the Wholesalers: Diversified Industry category. Hughes reached the number two spot last year. "We are honored to hold the title of most admired company in the Wholesalers: Diversified Industry category," said President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Morgan. "This has been the most successful year in our company's 76-year history, due in large part to the hard work and dedication of our people. Their creativity and excellence have permeated the entire organization, encouraging innovative thought and enabling us to seize new opportunities. This work ethic and company culture will enable us to execute our goals -- increasing sales, accelerating earnings growth, developing best- in-class operations, and delivering superior customer service, as we strive to reach our company's full potential." Hughes Supply received the highest ranking in seven of the eight key attributes of reputation used as criteria for FORTUNE's annual list. This year the categories included innovation, employee talent, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment and quality of products/services. Hughes achieved an overall score of 7.55, up from last year's score of 6.86. Hughes Supply, Inc., founded in 1928, is one of the nation's largest diversified wholesale distributors of construction, repair and maintenance- related products, with over 500 locations in 40 states. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Hughes employs approximately 9,300 associates and generates annual revenues exceeding $4 billion. Hughes is a FORTUNE 500 company and was named the #1 Most Admired Company in America in the Wholesalers: Diversified Industry segment by FORTUNE magazine in 2005. For additional information on Hughes Supply, please visit http://www.hughessupply.com/ . http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990803/HUGLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Hughes Supply, Inc. CONTACT: Lauren Brey, Director, Corporate Communications, Hughes Supply, Inc., +1-407-822-2143 Web site: http://www.hughessupply.com/

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