Exhibit 99.1



                                 OFFICEMAX, INC.

                 STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

     The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act") provides a
"safe harbor" for "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Act). The Form
10-K to which this exhibit is attached, the Company's Annual Report to
Shareholders, any Form 10-Q or any Form 8-K of the Company, or any other written
or oral statements made by or on behalf of the Company may include or
incorporate by reference forward-looking statements which reflect the Company's
current view (as of the date such forward-looking statement is made) with
respect to future events, prospects, projections or financial performance. The
words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "plan," "intend," and
similar expressions, among others, identify "forward-looking statements." The
Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those made, implied or projected in such statements. These
uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to the following:

     -    The Company faces intense competition from a variety of retailers,
          dealers and distributors, including, other high-volume office product
          chains that are similar in concept to the Company in terms of store
          format, pricing strategy, product selection and services; in addition,
          wholesale clubs, computer and electronic superstore retailers and mass
          merchandisers like Wal-Mart, as well as grocery and drug store chains,
          have increased their assortment of home office merchandise, attracting
          additional back-to-school customers and year-round casual shoppers;
          such competition, from competitors with significant financial and
          distribution capabilities, may reduce the Company's market share and
          profit margins and may otherwise adversely affect the Company's
          results of operations, financial condition and prospects;

     -    The Company may be subject to increasing competition from Internet
          merchandisers which have minimal barriers to entry; these competitors
          include traditional retailers that sell through the Internet, Internet
          sites that target the small business market with a full line of
          business products or service offerings and Internet sites that sell or
          resell office products and business services;

     -    The Company also anticipates increasing competition from its office
          supply superstore competitors in the print-for-pay business, which has
          historically been a key differentiator for the Company; such increased
          competition could adversely affect the Company's results of operation
          and profit margins;

     -    The Company faces uncertainties relating to general economic
          conditions, weak consumer confidence and the war in Iraq, including
          the impact of such conditions and/or the war on consumer and business
          spending;







     -    The Company relies heavily on its information systems for both its
          retail stores and OfficeMax.com; there could be malfunctions or
          failures of the Company's information systems that could disrupt
          business operations; and there could be difficulties associated with
          implementation and upgrades of the Company's information systems,
          including implementation of its new point of sale system for its store
          locations and its SAP Customer Relationship module;

     -    As the Company expands the number of its stores in existing markets,
          sales at existing stores may be impacted; moreover, new stores
          typically take time to reach the levels of sales and profitability of
          the Company's existing stores, and there can be no assurance that new
          stores will be as profitable as existing stores;

     -    There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to maintain
          its relationships with its product and service providers or other
          affiliates or that the Company's strategic alliances or partnerships,
          such as those with Airborne Express and EarthLink, will achieve
          anticipated results;

     -    If the Company's partner in Mexico exercises its right to require the
          Company to purchase the partner's interest in the Company's subsidiary
          in Mexico, the Company's liquidity may be adversely affected;

     -    When the Company's lease agreements for two of its PowerMax
          distribution facilities expire in 2004, the Company will be required
          to purchase the facilities or refinance the leases or otherwise
          satisfy certain fair value guarantees and no assurance can be given
          that at the time such leases expire the Company will have sufficient
          liquidity or capital resources to purchase such facilities or
          refinance the leases or otherwise satisfy certain fair value
          guarantees;

     -    There can be no assurance that (i) the Company will not require
          additional sources of financing as a result of unanticipated cash
          needs, acquisitions or other opportunities or disappointing operating
          results or (ii) any additional funds required by the Company will be
          available to the Company on satisfactory terms;

     -    There is potential for rapid and significant changes in technology
          which could affect the Company's operations;

     -    The Company's ability to increase its operating efficiency and
          profitability is dependent on the Company maximizing the benefits of
          its PowerMax distribution system and SAP Enterprise Resource Planning
          computer system, including the SAP Customer Relationship module, which
          is expected to be implemented in fiscal 2003, as well as its new point
          of sale system for its store locations; there can be no assurance that
          the Company will be able to maximize such benefits and if such
          benefits are maximized, whether such benefits will result in increased
          operating efficiency and profitability;

     -    There can be no assurance that the Company's store redesign and
          remodel programs will lead to increased sales; in addition, the
          Company's results of operations may be





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          negatively impacted by the costs incurred to implement its redesign
          and remodel programs;

     -    The Company has substantially reduced its inventory over the past
          three fiscal years and intends to continue to aggressively manage such
          inventory, but no assurance can be given that such reduction and
          management of inventory will result in increased profitability;

     -    Fluctuations in the Company's quarterly operating results have
          occurred in the past and may occur in the future based on a variety of
          factors such as new store openings with their related pre-opening
          expenses, the extent to which new stores are less profitable as they
          commence operations, the effect new stores have on the sales of
          existing stores in more mature markets, the pricing activity of
          competitors in the Company's markets, changes in the Company's product
          mix, increases and decreases in advertising and promotional expenses,
          the effects of seasonality and acquisition of contract stationers and
          stores of competitors;

     -    In light of its current real estate strategy, the Company anticipates
          that much of its revenue growth during fiscal 2003 and 2004 will be
          the result of increased same-store sales; no assurances can be given
          that the Company will be able to achieve or maintain such increased
          same-store sales;

     -    The Company continues to explore expansion internationally and there
          are risks associated with international operations, including lack of
          local business experience, foreign currency fluctuations, language and
          other cultural barriers, political and economic instability and, since
          the Company's existing foreign operations are joint ventures not
          wholly-owned by the Company, a lack of operating control;

     -    The Company has increased the number and types of products that it
          sells under the OfficeMax(R) private label brand and the Company
          expects this trend to continue in the future; these products have
          attractive margins and enhance the Company's brand image; however, the
          Company sources many of these products from foreign countries, which
          exposes the Company to risks associated with such countries that could
          adversely affect the availability or cost of such products, or both.

     -    In the past, the Company has taken certain significant charges against
          earnings for store closings and associated inventory markdowns as well
          as vendor and merchandise rationalization; there can be no assurance
          that additional charges of this nature will not be required in the
          future and if required, no assurance can be given as to the size and
          nature of any such charges; if such charges are required, they could
          have a materially adverse impact on the Company's financial position
          or results of operations.

     -    The Company is largely dependent on the services of Michael Feuer, the
          Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and its senior
          management; the loss of Mr. Feuer or any of the Company's other senior
          management could have a material adverse impact on the Company;





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     -    Strikes or other labor disruptions or weather conditions that could
          adversely affect the Company's operations;

     -    A significant portion of the Company's operating expenses, such as
          rent expense, advertising expense and employee salaries, do not vary
          directly with the amount of its sales and are difficult to adjust in
          the short term; in response to the difficult retail environment over
          the past three fiscal years, the Company took significant actions to
          reduce operating expenses during those fiscal years; if economic
          conditions do not improve in fiscal 2003, the Company may have
          difficulty reducing expenses further without adversely affecting the
          Company's business.

     -    The Company's ability to maintain the success of its "Max Means More"
          marketing campaign, which has helped differentiate the Company from
          its competitors in the office supply superstore industry;

     -    The impact of the new laws and regulations relating to public
          companies, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and proposed
          changes in the listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange,
          which significantly change the manner in which the Company is required
          to prepare and present its financial results and related disclosure;
          also the impact of new accounting standards promulgated by the
          Financial Accounting Standards Board, including those relating to the
          treatment of variable interest entities and cash consideration paid by
          vendors, which could have a material impact on the Company's reported
          results.














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