February Sales Roundup

A few retailers blamed disappointing sales on a monster snowstorm that blanketed the Eastern Seaboard duirng President’s Day weekend. Of course, the slumping economy and talk of a war with Iraq escalating did not help matters. All in all, February sales results for the publicly traded catalogers tracked by CATALOG AGE were a mixed bag. First the winners:

Sharper Image Corp. reported sales of $36 million for the month ended Feb. 28, up 34% from $26.9 million last year. Catalog sales at the San Francisco-based high-tech gadgets marketer increased 21%, to $10.5 million from $8.7 million last year. Web sales increased 40%, to $5 million from $3.6 million. Total store sales were $20.5 million, compared with $14.6 million last February.

Sales at men’s apparel cataloger/retailer Jos. A. Bank Clothiers were up as well. The Hampstead, MD-based company’s February sales totaled $15.4 million, a 7% increase from $14.4 million for February 2002. Combined catalog and Web sales increased 16% in February. Comparable store sales decreased 2%.

February sales took flight at Bluefly. The online-only marketer of discounted designer apparel and home accessories posted February net sales of $2.7 million, an increase of13% from $2.4 million the previous February.

For high-end Dallas-based cataloger/retailer Neiman Marcus Group, February revenue increased 5%, to $209 million from $198 million last year. Comparable revenue at Neiman Marcus Direct, which includes the Horchow, Neiman Marcus, and Chef’s Catalog titles, increased 3%. The top-selling merchandise categories in the direct marketing segment included furniture and rugs, women's apparel, and decorative home and garden products.

Now, the nonwinners. Results were a true mixed bag for Plano, TX-based general merchandiser J.C. Penney Co. The cataloger/retailer reported sales of $2.2 billion for the month ended Feb. 22, off 1.3% from $2.3 billion last year. Catalog sales decreased 11%, to $174 million from $196 million last year. But that was far better than the 15% shortfall the company had expected, based on circulation and page cuts. Combined catalog and Internet sales decreased 9%. Web sales increased 40% from last year. Department store sales were $906 million, down nearly 4%.

Revenue at New York-based apparel cataloger/retailer J. Crew Group fell 15%, to $45.6 million for the four weeks ended March 1, from $53.4 million the previous fiscal February. Net sales for the direct division slid 13%. Catalog sales fell 29%, to $7.8 million, while Web sales were essentially flat at $13.0 million. Comparable store sales plummeted 26% for the month.

Finally, the Spiegel Group, which mails the Eddie Bauer, Newport News, and Spiegel catalogs, continues to struggle. The Downers Grove, IL-based cataloger/retailer reported a 23% tumble in sales, to $120.1 million for the four weeks ended Feb. 22 from $156.6 million last year. Direct sales decreased 30%, which the company attributes to a planned reduction in catalog circulation and weak customer demand.