Delia’s Loss Widens Despite Sales Growth
First-quarter sales at cataloger/retailer Delia’s increased 10%, to $63.5 million, compared with $57.8 million for the same period last year. For the 13-week period ended May 3, net loss was $3.9 million, compared to a net loss of $3.3 million after the first quarter in 2007.
Same-store sales increased 2%, down from 9% last year. Total retail sales increased 16.2%, to $22.9 million, from $19.7 million. Sales for the direct segment, which includes the Delia’s and Alloy teen girls’ apparel catalogs and extreme-sports gear catalog CCS, increased 6.5%, to $40.6 million from $38.1 million in the comparable quarter last year.
Tiffany Sees Growth on Both Sides of Ledger
Jeweler Tiffany & Co. saw first-quarter sales and income rise. For the 13 weeks ended April 30, the cataloger/retailer reported net income of $64.3 million — $54.0 million last year — on sales of $668.1 million. For the first quarter of last year, it netted $54.1 million on sales of $595.7 million. Total sales were up 12%. Sales within the direct marketing unit rose 1%. Net income rose nearly 20%.