Gray Skies Clear Up-for Most
It was a sunny July for most retailers—at least for those that posted upbeat sales numbers. Among the big winners reporting double-digit same-store sales increases were Dallas- based Neiman Marcus Group Inc., Fort Myers, Fla.–based Chico’s FAS Inc. and Anaheim, Calif.–based Pacific Sunwear of California Inc.
On the other side of the sales spectrum was Wet Seal Inc., which continued to see sales slide. The Foothill Ranch, Calif.–based specialty store posted a same-store sales decrease of 21.5 percent and saw overall sales drop 15 percent to $47 million. Little Rock, Ark.–based Dillard’s Inc., Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores Inc. and Hoffman Estates, Ill.–based Sears, Roebuck and Co. also posted decreases in both overall and same-store sales.
There was some fluctuation in sales figures among the companies that opened and closed stores during the period. Fresno, Calif.–based Gottschalks Inc. closed seven stores in July and saw its overall sales decrease 2.8 percent to $42 million.
Menomonee Falls, Wis.–based Kohl’s Corp. reported July sales of $700 million, an increase of 21.4 percent over last year. But the retailer currently operates 492 stores in 34 states, compared with the 420 stores in 32 states it operated last year.
The May Department Stores Co. announced in July it would divest 34 stores— and excluded those stores from its samestore sales figures, which rose 1.8 percent. In July, the St. Louis–based company opened several subsidiary stores, including a Meier & Frank store in Utah, a Foley’s store in Louisiana and three David’s Bridal stores.
J.C. Penney Company Inc. saw its overall store sales increase 2.1 percent to $932 million in July for its department-store division, and the company’s catalog and Internet division saw a 10.6 percent uptick to $177 million.
Saks Inc. saw its overall sales increase 1 percent to $220 million and its same-store sales creep up 0.5 percent across its Saks Department Store Group division, which includes department stores Parisian, Proffitt’s, McRae’s, Younkers, Herberger’s, Carson Pirie Scott and Bergner’s and specialty stores Boston Store and Club Libby Lu. The Birmingham, Ala.–based company’s Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises division, which includes Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th stores, saw a 6.2 percent increase in overall sales to $143 million and a 6.5 percent increase in same-store sales.
—Alison A. Nieder
