<PAGE>
Presented November 9, 2000
The information in the table below
should be read in conjunction with
the Form 8-K dated November 9, 2000
including the "Risk Factors" section
of that report.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
GUITAR CENTER, INC.
YEAR 2001 GUIDANCE
($ IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE)
--------------------------------------------------------
CONSOLIDATED COMPANY 2001
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 YEAR
--------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
NET SALES
Bottom end of range $210,250 214,000 230,750 286,000 945,000
Top end of range $215,250 220,000 235,500 291,500 955,000
GROSS MARGIN
Bottom end of range 25.9% 25.9% 25.3% 26.9% 26.1%
Top end of range 26.2% 26.1% 25.5% 27.1% 26.2%
OPERATING INCOME
Bottom end of range 4.8% 5.1% 4.7% 8.3% 6.0%
Top end of range 5.2% 5.4% 5.0% 8.8% 6.2%
INTEREST EXPENSE
Bottom end of range $ 3,300 3,300 3,300 3,150 13,100
Top end of range $ 3,500 3,500 3,500 3,400 13,550
NET EARNINGS
Bottom end of range $ 4,200 4,700 4,700 12,750 27,000
Top end of range $ 4,750 5,150 5,150 13,700 28,300
WEIGHTED SHARES OUTSTANDING 22,500 22,500 22,500 22,500 22,500
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE
Bottom end of range $ 0.19 0.21 0.21 0.57 1.20
Top end of range $ 0.21 0.23 0.23 0.61 1.26
EBITDA
Bottom end of range $ 13,650 14,550 14,700 27,600 71,000
Top end of range $ 14,650 15,450 15,600 29,400 73,500
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
Bottom end of range $ 7,750 6,750 3,750 4,750 23,000
Top end of range $ 8,250 7,250 4,250 5,250 25,000
---------------------------------------------------
<CAPTION>
2001
RETAIL STORES Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 YEAR
---------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
NET SALES
Bottom end of range $168,500 175,000 188,000 226,000 760,000
Top end of range $171,500 179,000 191,000 228,500 765,000
COMPARABLE STORE SALES INCREASE
Bottom end of range 4.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0%
Top end of range 6.0% 7.0% 7.0% 7.0% 7.0%
GROSS MARGIN
Bottom end of range 25.3% 25.4% 24.5% 25.8% 25.3%
Top end of range 25.5% 25.5% 24.6% 26.0% 25.4%
OPERATING INCOME
Bottom end of range 5.3% 5.3% 4.0% 7.3% 5.6%
Top end of range 5.6% 5.5% 4.3% 7.7% 5.8%
---------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
<CAPTION>
2001
DIRECT RESPONSE Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 YEAR
---------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
NET SALES-CATALOG
Bottom end of range $ 28,000 23,000 24,500 31,500 108,000
Top end of range $ 28,500 23,500 25,000 32,000 110,000
NET SALES-INTERNET
Bottom end of range $ 13,750 16,000 18,250 28,500 77,000
Top end of range $ 15,250 17,500 19,500 31,000 80,000
TOTAL NET SALES-DIRECT RESPONSE
Bottom end of range $ 41,750 39,000 42,750 60,000 185,000
Top end of range $ 43,750 41,000 44,500 63,000 190,000
GROSS MARGIN
Bottom end of range 28.5% 28.3% 29.1% 31.2% 29.5%
Top end of range 28.8% 28.5% 29.3% 31.4% 29.6%
OPERATING INCOME
Bottom end of range 3.1% 4.2% 7.8% 12.1% 7.5%
Top end of range 3.6% 4.6% 8.2% 12.5% 7.7%
---------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>