Double-Digit Third-Quarter Growth for Staples
Third-quarter sales for Framingham, MA-based catalog/retailer Staples grew 12%, to $4.8 billion for the three months ended Oct. 28. Third-quarter sales from its North American Delivery Business — which includes the Staples and Quill catalogs and online businesses as well as the Staples contract delivery business — grew 18%. North American retail sales increased 8%, and comparable store sales rose 3%.
Third-quarter net income climbed 29%, to $290 million. North American Delivery revenue rose 16%, while North American retail sales increased 9%. Worldwide e-commerce sales grew 27%, to $1.2 billion.
Gloomy Quarter for Eddie Bauer
Third-quarter direct sales at Redmond, WA-based Eddie Bauer Holdings fell 3.5%, to $49.8 million for the three months ended Sept. 30. Total revenue for the quarter dropped nearly 3%, to $211.3 million from $217.3 million a year ago. Same-store sales declined 1.5%. In addition, the apparel cataloger/retailer reported a net loss of $197.6 million.
On Nov. 13, the day before Eddie Bauer released its third-quarter financials, the company reported that Golden Gate Capital and Sun Capital had agreed to acquire it for $614 million. For more on the deal, click here.
Healthy Fourth Quarter, Year for NBTY
Fourth-quarter sales for supplements manufacturer/marketer NBTY increased 8%, to $468 million for the three months ended Sept. 30. Net income for the quarter soared 230%, to $38 million. The Bohemia, NY-based company attributed the massive rise in income to the $33 million sales increase, an improvement in gross profit, greater manufacturing efficiencies, continued profitability in the North American retail operations, and a decline in interest expense.
Fourth-quarter revenue from direct response division, which includes the Puritan’s Pride catalog, increased 9%, to $52.4 million. Online sales accounted 34% of total direct response sales.
For the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, net sales were $1.9 billion, up 8% from $1.7 billion last year. Net income for the year increased 43%, to $112 million. But year-over-year sales within the direct division slipped 2%, to $196 million.