Aside from continuing fiscal woes at Sharper Image Corp. and a disappointing month for The Talbots last month represented a strong showing for direct sales and overall revenue growth among the publicly traded cataloger/retailers tracked by MULTICHANNEL MERCHANT.

At upscale apparel and decor merchant Neiman Marcus Direct, February sales increased nearly 9% for the four-week period ended Feb. 25. The top-selling merchandise categories included jewelry, women’s apparel, and shoes. Overall February sales for the Dallas-based parent, Neiman Marcus Group (NYSE: NMG.A), increased 6%, to $291 million.

February sales at Victoria’s Secret Direct rose 10%, which company officials said exceeded expectations. Parent company Limited Brands (NYSE: LTD) reported a 4% increase in February sales, to $635.8 million.

Hampstead, MD-based men’s apparel cataloger/retailer Jos. A. Bank Clothiers (NasdaqNM: JOSB) posted a healthy 38% increase in its combined catalog and Internet sales for fiscal February. Total February sales increased 18%, to $33.8 million for the four weeks ended Feb. 25.

Plano, TX-based J.C. Penney Co. (NYSE: JCP) posted a 4.5% rise in direct sales, which exceeded expectations for the four weeks ended Feb. 25. February Internet sales increased 24%. Direct sales totaled $209 million for the month. Total company sales increased 4%, to $1.3 billion.

February net sales at apparel merchant The Talbots (NYSE: TLB) decreased 2%, to $91.4 million for the four weeks ended Feb. 25. Comparable store sales fell 6% for the month. The Hingham, MA-based cataloger/retailer does not break out monthly catalog sales data.

In a statement, president/CEO Arnold B. Zetcher said sales trends at the beginning of February were on plan, but total comparable store sales results were “significantly” hurt by a major snowstorm that swept across much of the country. “The geographical areas that were not affected by adverse weather turned in near-plan performances,” Zetcher said. “Further, a change in the timing of promotional activities vs. last year also had an unfavorable impact on our business during the month. We did see a return to positive selling trends in the latter part of February; however, it was not enough to offset the earlier softness.”

Year-over-year sales at San Francisco-based Sharper Image Corp. (NasdaqNM: SHRP) continue to plummet. For the month ended Feb. 28, net sales at the electronics cataloger/retailer were $30.5 million, down 33% from $45.4 million in February 2005. Total catalog/direct marketing sales (including wholesale) sunk 45%, to $6.7 million, compared with last February’s $12.2 million; Internet sales dropped 32%, to $4.7 million.

Chairman/CEO Richard Thalmeier said in a statement: “In response to our recent trends, we have cut expenses, accelerated new product testing and development, and further reduced our advertising spend, particularly in our direct marketing channels. In the near term, we expect our reduced advertising to contribute to continued lower year-over-year sales results. Our focus continues to be the introduction of new and innovative products, the optimization of advertising expenditures, and to lower expenses and inventory levels.”

Several of the multichannel merchants tracked by CATALOG AGE boasted of double-digit February sales growth.

For example, Hampstead, MD-based Jos. A. Bank Clothiers (NasdaqNM: JOSB) reported a 20% year-over-year increase in February catalog and Internet sales and a 19% rise in total February sales. For the fiscal month ended Feb. 26, the men’s apparel cataloger/retailer had sales of $28.6 million. Comparable store sales were up 3% from the previous December.

Total February sales for Hingham, MA-based The Talbots (NYSE: TLB) increased 13%, to $95.0 million from $84.3 million. Comparable store sales increased 8% for the month. The apparel cataloger/retailer does not break out monthly direct sales data.

Comparable revenue at the Nieman Marcus Direct division of Dallas-based Neiman Marcus Group rose 20%. The division consists of the high-end Neiman Marcus and Horchow apparel and decor titles. Total comparable February revenue increased nearly 8%, to $273 million. The comparable sales figures exclude revenue from Chef’s Catalog, which the company sold this past November.

New York-based Bluefly (Nasdaq SmallCap: BFLY), an online retailer of discounted designer apparel and home accessories, enjoyed a 14% rise in February net sales, to $4.1 million from 3.6 million last year.

February sales at Victoria’s Secret Direct, part of Columbus, OH-based Limited Brands (NYSE: LTD), increased 8%, thanks to strong bra salesTotal net sales at Limited Brands inched upward just 1%, to $611.4 million. Comparable store sales decreased of 4%. In addition to Victoria’s Secret, Limited Brands includes the Express, Bath & Body Works, and White Barn Candle Co. retail chains.

The catalog/Internet division of Plano, TX-based J.C. Penney Co. (NYSE: JCP) grew its February sales 6%, to $200 million from $188 million last year. Web sales jumped nearly 35% for the month. Comparable department store sales increased 6%. Total company sales increased 7%, to $1.3 billion. Spring apparel and seasonal product sales exceeded company expectations, and in a release Penney said it had seen “good customer response to Valentine’s and Presidents’ Day events.”

The exception to the rule of year-over-year increases was San Francisco-based Sharper Image (Nasdaq: SHRP). Its February direct marketing revenue (which includes wholesale) decreased 16%, to $12.2 million. Internet sales fell 14%, to $6.9 million. Total company sales decreased 13%, to $45.4 million, while comparable store sales decreased 20%.

Consumers appear to be taking a “What, me worry?” attitude toward the economy, judging by the healthy Febraury sales growth for a number of publicly traded marketers.

San Francisco-based high-tech gadgets marketer Sharper Image (Nasdaq: SHRP) posted a 47% increase in February sales, to $51.9 million from last year’s $35.2 million. Catalog sales increased 45%, to $14.5 million from $10.0 million. Internet sales increased 63%, to $8.0 million from $4.9 million. Total store sales increased 45%, to $29.3 million; comparable-store sales rose 20%.

New York-based Bluefly (Nasdaq: SmallCap: BFLY), an online-only marketer of discount designer apparel, enjoyed a 33% jump in February net sales, to $3.6 million from $2.7 million last year.

Total February revenue at Dallas-based Neiman Marcus Group (NYSE:NMG.A) increased 24%, to $259 million from $208 million last year. Comparable revenue at Neiman Marcus Direct, which includes the Horchow, Neiman Marcus, and Chef’s Catalog titles, rose 9%. Neiman Marcus specializes in upscale apparel and home decor.

Combined catalog and Internet sales increased 35% at Hampstead, MD-based men’s clothier Jos. A. Bank Clothiers (Nasdaq NM:JOSB). Total February sales increased 56%, to $24.0 million. Comparable-store sales increased 34%.

Columbus, OH-based Limited Brands (NYSE: LTD) the parent of women’s apparel cataloger/retailer Victoria’s Secret, reported a 6% rise in February net sales, to $607.9 million. At Victoria’s Secret Direct, February sales increased 13%.

The catalog/Internet division at Plano, TX-based J.C. Penney Co. (NYSE: JCP) exceeded expectations for the month. February sales increased 8%, to $188 million from $174 million in 2003. Comp-store sales rose 12%, also beating expectations.

Once again, Downers Grove, IL-based Spiegel Group ran counter to the trend. February sales for the parent of the Spiegel, Eddie Bauer, and Newport News brand fell 22%, to $93.8 million from $120.1 million last year. Catalog and e-commerce sales decreased 27% for the month compared with last year, primarily due to a planned reduction in catalog circulation, lower customer demand, and to a lesser extent, higher backorders resulting from lower inventory levels.Comparable-store sales for its Eddie Bauer division decreased 2%.

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.

Catalogers’ February sales results were a mixed bag. First the winners:

San Francisco-based gadgets marketer Sharper Image (Nasdaq: SHRP) posted a whopping 98% leap in February catalog sales, to $8.7 million from $4.4 million the previous February. The company credited television informercials for the growth. Web sales increased 23%, to $3.6 million from $2.9 million. Retail sales increased 16%, to $14.6 million, and total company sales rose 35%, to $26.9 million.

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers (Nasdaq: JOSB) boasted of higher gross profit margin as well as higher sales. Overall February sales for the Hampstead, MD-based men’s apparel marketer increased 9%, to $14.4 million from $13.2 million last year. Combined catalog and Web sales increased 11%. Comparable store sales increased 1%.

Columbus, OH-based Intimate Brands (NYSE: IBI), which owns cataloger/retailers Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works, also reported a 1% rise in comparable store sales. The company does not break out monthly catalog sales results. Total net sales, however, increased 3%, to $349.6 million from $338.1 million in February 2001.

Not everyone was a winner in February, though. For instance, at Plano, TX-based general merchandiser J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP), catalog sales decreased 29%, to $196 million from $275 million for February 2001. The company says that while the elimination of certain promotions contributed to the decline, the catalog sales were nonetheless below plan. At least comparable store sales beat plan, however, increasing 13%. Total February sales rose 3%, to $2.29 billion.

Total February sales for apparel cataloger/retailer J. Crew Group fell 2%, to $53.4 million from $54.5 million last year. Comparable store sales tumbled 16%. But the New York-based company’s catalog and Web sales rose nearly 3%, driven by a 26% jump in Internet sales.

Hingham MA-based women’s and children’s apparel marketer The Talbots (NYSE: TLB) blamed its disappointing February performance on the shifting of post-Christmas clearance sales. Total sales for February decreased 10%, to $84.1 million from $93.6 million last year Comparable store sales decreased 18%. The company didn’t break out its catalog sales.

Finally, the woes continue at Downers Grove, IL-based Spiegel Group (Nasdaq: SPGLA), which mails the Newport News, Eddie Bauer, and Spiegel catalogs. Last week, the cataloger/retailer announced its intent to sell its troublesome credit-card business. Now Spiegel reports an overall 13% sales decline, to $156.6 million from $180.0 million last year. Catalog sales declined 11%, though Web sales increased 27%. Retail store sales decreased 16%. Breaking out results by division, sales declined 13% at Eddie Bauer, 16% at Newport News, and 10% at Spiegel catalog.

Stamford, CT–According to the U.S. Commerce Department, U.S. retail sales in February fell 0.2%, to $274.49 billion, following a 1.3% increase in January. The proof of the decline can be seen in the February sales figures for a number of publicly traded catalogers.

Downers Grove, IL-based general merchant Spiegel Group, which mails the Newport News, Eddie Bauer, and Spiegel catalogs, reported a slight dip in February sales, to $180 million from $181 million last year. Breaking it down by segments, the Newport News division grew 14%, while sales at cataloger/retailer Eddie Bauer decreased 3% and revenue at Spiegel fell 4%.

February results were no rosier at Cincinnati-based cataloger/retailer Federated Department Stores, which mails the Macy’s by Mail, Bloomingdale’s by Mail,, and Fingerhut catalogs. Total Federated sales decreased 5%, from $1.21 billion in February 2000 to sales of $1.15 billion this year. Restructuring and circulation cuts at Fingerhut continued to drag on Federated’s balance sheet: Sales at the low-end cataloger decreased 46%, to $690,000 from $128 million.

There were a few bright spots. Hingham, MA-based cataloger/retailer The Talbots, for one, remains on a roll. The marketer of classic women’s apparel reported a 14% increase in February sales, to $92.1 million from $80.8 million last year. And another apparel cataloger/retailer, New York-based J. Crew, posted a 12% climb in February, to $51.1 million from $45.5 million last year.