Delia’s Losses Widens
New York–Teen girls multichannel marketer Delia’s (Nasdaq: DLIA ) posted a loss for its fourth quarter and its fiscal year. The net loss in the fourth quarter before merger, restructuring, and other one-time charges was $7.3 million, compared to a loss of $9.1 million last year. The net loss after these charges was $17.8 million. The net loss for fiscal 2000, including merger and restructuring charges, was $79.7 million, compared to net income, including several significant nonoperating items, of $11.0 million for fiscal 1999.
For the fourth quarter ended Feb. 3, Delia’s core sales increased 37%, to $60.7 million from $44.2 million in the fourth quarter of the prior year. Net sales for the fiscal year increased 13%, to $215.1 million from $190.8 million for fiscal ‘99.
During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2000, Delia’s recombined with its majority-owned subsidiary, iTurf. In other company news , Delia’s completed the sales of subsidiary TheSpark.com and Sparknotes.com to Barnes & Noble as was previously announced.
Proprietary Products Drive Brookstone
Nashua, NH–Proprietary products drove fourth-quarter results at upscale tools and gifts cataloger/retailer Brookstone, (NasdaqNM:BKST). Fourth-quarter net income for the company, which mails the Brookstone Gift Collection, Hard-to-Find Tools, and Gardeners Eden catalogs, rose 13%, to $25.2 million from $22.4 million the previous year. Fourth-quarter revenue increased nearly 11%, to $180.9 million from $163.6 million. Same-store sales rose 3.1%.
As for the fiscal year ended Feb. 3 , Brookstone reported income, before the cumulative effect of an accounting change, of $15.3 million, compared to net income of $13.3 million for the comparable period last year. Net sales increased 11.5%, to $364.5 million from $326.9 million. Same store sales for the comparable fifty-two week period increased 3.5%.
Alloy Profits in the Fourth Quarter
New York–Generation Y marketer Alloy Online (Nasdaq: ALOY) turned a profit for the fourth quarter (before goodwill amortization, stock-based compensation, and noncash, nonoperating items) of $779,000 compared to a net loss of $4.0 million for the same period last year.
What’s more, revenue for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 31 was $42.5 million, up 151% from $16.9 million for the previous fourth quarter. Total revenue for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31 was $91.2 million, up 169% from $33.9 million for fiscal 1999. The net loss for fiscal 2000 before goodwill amortization, stock-based compensation, and noncash, nonoperating items was $16.5 million, compared to a net loss before extraordinary items of $13.9 million in ‘99.
Touchdown for Riddell Sports As It Posts 2000 Profit
NEW YORK–B-to-B athletic marketer Riddell Sports (Amex: RDL), which owns or licenses Varsity Spirit, Umbro, and MacGregor products, reported a profit for its year ended Dec. 31. Annual net income was $561,000, its first profitable year since it acquired cataloger Varity Spirit in 1997. In 1999, Riddell reported a net loss of $599,000. Annual revenue increased by 13%, from $208.6 million in 1999 to $234.7 million in 2000.
Specialty Catalog Corp. Posts Sales Gains
South Easton, MA–Wigs cataloger Specialty Catalog (Nasdaq: CTLG), whose titles include the Paula Young catalog, reported net income of $1.1 million for fiscal 2000, a 39% improvement from $799,486 for 1999. Net sales for the year were $60.9 million, up 12% from $54.5 million the previous year.
In related news, Specialty received notice from Nasdaq on March 21 that it had failed to maintain its required minimum market value of public float of $5 million over 30 consecutive trading days. As a result, subject to appeal to the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel or later application to list its common stock on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, Specialty common stock is subject to delisting from Nasdaq. Specialty has requested a hearing before the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications panel to review the situation. If the panel denies the company’s request for continued listing on the exchange, Specialty will apply to list its securities on the Nasdaq SmallCap.