January Sales Roundup

Most of publicly traded merchants tracked by CATALOG AGE began the new year on solid footing sales-wise.

For example, total January revenue at Dallas-based upscale cataloger/retailer Neiman Marcus group (NYSE: NMG.A) increased 10%, to $236 million from $214 million for January 2004. Within Neiman Marcus Direct, which encompasses the Neiman Marcus and Horchow titles, January sales rose 18%.

Neighboring general merchandise giant, Plano, TX-based J.C. Penney Co. (NYSE: JCP), reported a 13% hike in January catalog/Internet sales, exceeding expectations. Internet sales increased nearly 45%. Total company sales reached $1.06 billion for the four-week fiscal January 2005, down from $1.2 billion for the five-week fiscal January 2004.

Hingham, MA-based apparel cataloger/retailer The Talbots (NYSE: TLB) reported a 22% jump in January revenue, to $128.4 million for the four weeks ended Jan. 29, compared with $105.4 million for January 2004.

But San Francisco-based high-tech gifts merchant Sharper Image Corp. (Nasdaq: SHRP) zagged where others zigged. Its January direct marketing sales (including wholesale) plummeted 29%, to $9.2 million from the previous January's $12.9 million. Total January revenue fell 4%, to $45.3 million, and comparable store sales decreased 9%.