Thursday, Ann Taylor Stores Corp. (ANN: chart) said it earned $17 million, or 24 cents a share, for the quarter ended April 30, down vs. $31.7 million, or 43 cents a share, a year ago.

In early May, the retailer cut its 1Q earnings target to 23 cents to 25 cents a share due to higher promotional activity at its stores.

1Q sales climbed 10% to $476.4 million vs. $433.2 million a year ago. Same-store sales for 1Q declined 3.1% vs. an increase of 12% for 1Q last year. By division, 1Q same-store sales dropped 4.9% for Ann Taylor and slid 1.5% for Ann Taylor Loft.

The company supports the analysts' average forecast of $1.17 a share for its yearly earnings.

CBRL Group Inc. (CBRL: chart), parent of the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain, Thursday posted profit missing analysts' estimates on trouble introducing new menu items.

3Q net income climbed to $26.6 million, or 52 cents per share, versus $25.8 million, or 49 cents per share, a year earlier. Analysts were looking for earnings of 55 cents per share.

Revenue increased 7% to $628 million. Restaurant sales at restaurants open at least 18 months increased 2.9% in 3Q, but sales of retail items declined 3.8% in the quarer. Operating margins slid 6.8% versus 7.2% a year ago.

The company expects 4Q profit to be of 73 cents to 76 cents a share. Analysts forecast 78 cents a share.

Casual Male Retail Group Inc. (CMRG: chart) reported Thursday that it lost $1.9 million, or 5 cents a share in 1Q vs. a loss of $5.1 million, or 15 cents a share a year earlier.

Sales increased to $97.3 million, compared with $84.2 million a year ago. The analysts' forecast was for a loss of 2 cents a share. Same-store sales advanced 2.3% in 1Q. The quarter included the operating results of the company's Rochester Big & Tall stores which were acquired October 2004.

Finlay Enterprises Inc.(FNLY: chart), the jewelry departments operator, reported Thursday a 1Q loss of $2.8 million, or 31 cents a share versus a loss of $1.6 million, or 18 cents a share a year ago. The company already reported sales of $185.7 million compared with $187.6 million last year. The analysts' forecast was for a loss of 33 cents a share.

The company is looking for a 2Q loss in the range of 20 cents to 25 cents a share on same-store sales growth between 1% and 2%. Finlay said it expects full-year 2005 earnings in the range of $2.20 to $2.35 a share.

The French media giant Vivendi Universal SA (V: chart) reported its 1Q net profit more than tripled on lower tax and interest payments and a turnaround in the company's music and videogame business related earnings.

Net profit for the first quarter was 502 million euro($636.6 million), up versus 166 million euro in the year-ago quarter. Revenue advanced 8.4% to 4.76 billion euro vs. 4.39 billion euro. Operating profit increased 26% to 877 million euro versus 694 million euro. Vivendi's results Thursday slightly topped most forecasts of net profit at around 430 million euro and operating profit at 830 million euro.

The company backed its forecast this year for an adjusted net income of at least 1.8 billion euro.

New York & Co. (NWY: chart), apparel retailer, Thursday reported a sharp growth in 1Q profit mainly due to moderate gains in same-store sales. 1Q income rose to $21.5 million, or 38 cents per share, versus $13 million, or 25 cents, a year earlier, matching analysts' estimate of 38 cents per share.

Net sales amounted to $270 million, a jump of 7% versus $252.1 million a year ago but still below analysts' forecast of $271.4 million. Sales at stores open at least a year increased 3.9% vs. 14.1% a year earlier.

Looking ahead, the company affirmed its forecast for 2Q income of 19 cents to 23 cents per share, with sales ranging from $258 million to $263 million. Same-store sales are expected to increase by 2% to 4%.

The company raised the low end of its full-year guidance by 2 cents to a range of $1.18 to $1.24 per share on sales of $1.12 billion to $1.14 billion. Analysts are looking for a profit of 21 cents per share on $259.9 million in sales, and yearly income of $1.25 per share on sales of $1.13 billion.

Foot Locker Inc. (FL: chart), footwear and apparel retailer, reported late Wednesday that 1Q profit climbed 21% to $58 million, or 37 cents a share, vs. $48 million, or 31 cents, a year earlier. Earnings missed analysts' forecasts by 1 cent. Sales for the quarter ended April 30 gained 16% to $1.38 billion versus $1.19 billion in 1Q last year beating analysts' view for $1.37 billion in sales. Same-store sales, or sales generated at stores open for at least a year, rose 2.6%.