Among the companies releasing upbeat results,
Mothers Work Inc., maternity apparel retailer, posted a 5% increase in August comparable store sales, citing strength in its product lines. Net sales rose 1% during the month, to $46.5 million. The retailer also said that it expects to meet or exceed Q4 sales and earnings per share guidance.
Bebe Stores Inc., women’s apparel retailer, said same-store sales rose 12.5%, topping estimates of 11.4% increase. The reported same-store sales growth in August was the 41st straight month of positive comparable sales. Department store operator
Nordstrom Inc. said same-store sales rose 7.1%, above expectations of 3.3% growth. On a preliminary basis, total sales rose 9.3% to $517 million.
J.C. Penney Co. said Thursday its August sales at department stores open at least one year fell 0.5%, missing expectations of a gain of 1.8%. The company backed its previous Q3 and Q4 earnings forecast, with same-store department store and direct sales both expected to increase in the low single digits in the five week September period.
Limited Brands, operating Victoria''''s Secret, Bath & Body Works, Express, Limited Stores, White Barn Candle Co. and Henri Bendel stores, said Thursday its August sales at stores open at least one year rose 9%, exceeding expectations of an increase by 6.2%. Net sales rose 11% to $638.8 million.
Stage Stores reported 3.8% same-store sales growth and 15.8% jump in August total sales. Same-store sales rise was driven by cosmetics, women''''s special sizes and home décor and came in above analyst estimates of 2.7%. Stage Stores said it sees Q3 same-store sales growth in the low single digits.
At the same time, some retailers reported results which came in below estimates, while others posted monthly sales decline.
Claire’s Stores Inc., jewelry retailer, said August same-store sales rose 1%, missing estimates of a rise of 2%.
Pier 1 Imports posted a 9.1% drop in August same-store sales, saying traffic trends remained below last year. Analysts had forecasted an 8.1% decline in same-store sales.
Gottschalks, department store chain, said August same-store sales slipped 1.1% from last year due to weak results from its home store division.
The Gap Thursday said same-store sales fell 7% in August. Analysts had expected a decrease of 3.4% in same-store sales for the month. Total sales slipped 2% to $1.15 billion from $1.17 billion in the same period a year earlier.
| 2006 SAME-STORE SALES |
| Company | Ticker | Augest | July | June | May | April | March | February |
| Apparel Retailers |
| Abercrombie & Fitch | ANF | 6.00% | 3.00% | -4.00% | 3.00% | 6.50% | 31.00% | 31.00% |
| Aeropostale | ARO | 3.30% | -1.90% | 5.30% | -1.10% | 8.40% | -9.30% | -5.40% |
| AmericanEagle | AEOS | 11.00% | 7.00% | 11.00% | 11.00% | 19.00% | 3.00% |
6.00% |
| AnnTaylor | ANN | 1.90% | 5.10% | 12.50% | 12.00% | 10.90% | 0.80% | 5.60% |
| Bebe | BEBE | 12.50% | 10.00% | 3.50% | 1.60% | 5.70% | 4.10% | 1.60% |
| Buckle | BKE | -8.50% | 5.90% | -5.90% | -3.80% | 1.00% | -3.70% | 2.20% |
| Cato | CTR | 4.00% | 1.00% |
-3.00% | -2.00% | 2.00% | -4.00% | -700% |
| CharmingShoppes | CHRS | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 11.00% |
| Chico's | CHS | -2.60% | 4.90% | 5.10% | 7.20% | 5.40% | 8.40% | 5.70% |
| Children'sPlace, The | PLCE | 12.00% | 15.00% | 14.00% | 18.00% | 22.00% | 6.00% | 1.00% |
| Christopher & Banks | CBK | 5.00% | 10.00% | 10.00% | 8.00% | 13.00% | -6.00% | -6.00% |
| CitiTrends | CTRN | 13.70% | 7.70% | 4.30% | 10.80% | 21.00% | 12.80% | 34.00% |
| Claires | CLE | 1.00% | 2.00% | 2.00% | 4.00% | 9.00% | -3.00% | 4.00% |
| DebShops | DEBS | NA | -9.60% | -4.90% | 1.40% | 4.00% | -1.10% | 11.60% |
| Dillards | DDS | -1.00% | -3.00% | -1.00% | 3.00% | 2.00% | -1.00% | -2.00% |
| DressBarn | DBRN | 2.00% | 5.00% | 6.00% | 9.00% | 15.00% | 2.00% | 7.00% |
| Federated Dept. | FD | 3.80% | 3.30% | 1.70% | 9.20% | -0.80% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Gap | GPS | -7.00% | -4.00% | -6.00% | -6.00% | -3.00% | 13.00% | 11.00% |
| Gottschalks | GOT | -1.10% | -0.70% | 0.30% | 2.80% | 0.30% | -3.60% | 2.70% |
| Guess | GES | 4.00% | 10.70% | 11.70% | 20.00% | 22.60% | 8.10% | 8.60% |
| Gymboree | GYMB | 17.00% | 6.00% | 9.00% | 24.00% | 19.00% | 10.00% | 18.00% |
| Hot Topic | HOTT | -6.00% | -5.50% | -3.40% | -6.00% | -6.50% | -12.70% | NA |
| J.C. Penney | JCP | -0.50% | 3.60% | 4.30% | 11.10% | 2.60% | -1.00% | 2.30% |
| Jo-AnnStores | JAS | -2.90% | -6.60% | 8.50% | -4.20% | -5.40% | -3.10% | -3.70% |
| Jos.A.Bank | JOSB | -6.10% | 15.90% | 8.50% | 7.10% | 17.80% | 4.40% | 3.30% |
| Kohl's | KSS | 5.20% | 5.90% | 7.10% | 3.10% | 13.40% | 3.70% | 3.40% |
| LimitedBrands | LTD | 9.00% | 5.00% | 3.00% | 7.00% | 2.00% | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Men'sWearhouse | MW | NA | 2.00% | 3.70% | 5.00% | 8.80% | 0.90% | NA |
| MotherWorks | MWRK | 5.00% | 3.90% | 6.20% | 5.50% | 6.60% | 2.20% | 2.20% |
| Nordstrom | JWN | 7.10% | 5.30% | 6.90% | 7.80% | 7.30% | 2.20% | 4.90% |
| Pacific Sunwear | PSUN | -9.40% | -10.60% | -2.70% | -2.60% | -14.00% | -10.90% | NA |
| Ross Stores | ROST | 3.00% | 1.00% | 5.00% | 5.00% | 9.00% | 4.00% | 6.00% |
| Saks | SKS | 3.30% | 2.40% | 4.70% | 1.10% | 2.20% | -6.60% | 6.00% |
| SteinMart | SMRT | -2.80% | -5.90% | 0.90% | 1.00% | NA | NA | -0.40% |
| Talbots | TLB | NA | 1.30% | NA | NA | 10.80% | -3.40% | -6.00% |
| TJX | TJX | 4.00% | 4.00% | 4.00% | 4.00% | 1.00% | 2.00% | 1.00% |
| Drug Stores |
| CVS | CVS | NA | 8.80% | NA | 8.40% | 14.00% | 9.40% | 5.90% |
| Walgreen | WAG | NA | 9.00% | 9.00% | 9.80% | 2.00% | 1.40% | 5.70% |
| Wholesale Stores |
| BJ's Wholesale Club | BJ | 2.30% | 1.90% | -0.10% | 4.20% | 2.10% | 3.10% | NA |
| Costco | COST | NA | 7.00% | 6.00% | 10.00% | 7.00% | 7.00% | 8.00% |
| Family Dollar | FDO | 4.00% | 7.50% | 3.60% | 4.50% | 5.90% | 1.40% | 4.40% |
| Shoe Stores |
| DSW | DSW | NA | 2.20% | NA | NA | 4.20% | NA | 11.60% |
| Payless Shoesource | PSS | NA | 2.20% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1.60% |
| FinishLine | FINL | -6.60 | NA | NA | -0.80% | NA | NA | NA |
| Discount Retailers |
| Target | TGT | 2.80% | 3.00% | 4.80% | 5.70% | 10.40% | 2.20% | 3.60% |
| Wal-Mart Stores | WMT | 2.70% | 2.40% | 1.20% | 2.30% | 6.80% | 1.40% | 3.20% |
| Pier1 Imports | PIR | -9.10% | -14.90% | -18.40% | -6.60% | -2.00% | -2.00% | -11.00% |
| Sharper Image | SHRP | -22.00% | -23.00% | -26.00% | -36.00% | -23.00% | -29.00% | NA |
| Miscellaneous |
| BigLots | BLI | NA | 5.20% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 6.40% |
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