Delia’s Loss Widens Despite Sales Growth
First-quarter sales at cataloger/retailer Delia’s increased 11%, to $57.8 million for the 13 weeks ended May 5. But net loss for the quarter nearly tripled, to $3.3 million from $1.2 million a year ago.
Same-store sales increased 9%, with total retail sales rising 34%, to $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 3%, to $38.1 million from $37.1 million for the comparable quarter last year.
Tiffany Sees Growth on Both Sides of Ledger
Jeweler Tiffany & Co. saw first-quarter sales and income rise 15%. For the 13 weeks ended April 30, the New York-based cataloger/retailer reported net income of $49.7 million on sales of $620.8 million. For the first quarter of last year, it had netted $43.1 million on sales of $539.2 million.
Sales within the direct marketing unit rose 11%, to $33.3 million. U.S. retail sales increased 15%, to $298.6 million. International retail sales also rose 15%, to $248 million.
Surge in Direct Sales at Chico’s
First-quarter net sales for women’s apparel cataloger/retailer Chico’s FAS rose 16%, to $453 million from $391 million last year. Catalog and Web sales for the 13 weeks ended May 5 were $16.5 million, up 35% from $12.2 million for the first quarter of 2006. The Fort Myers, FL-based company attributed the rise in direct sales to improvements in its Website, including its online merchandising, and to its contact center.
Now for the bad news: Net income fell 10%, to $47.2 million from $52.5 million last year. What’s more, same-store sales decreased nearly 2%.