The J. Jill Group Inc. posted net sales for the first quarter ended Mar. 26 of $98.4 million, a 1.6% decrease from $99.9 million reported in the prior year’s quarter.
The Quincy, MA-based women’s clothing cataloger and retailer generated an operating loss for the quarter totaling $4.8 million, compared to operating income of $3.9 million last year. It posted a net loss for the quarter of $2.7 million or $0.13 per diluted share versus net income of $2.2 million or $0.11 per diluted share in the first quarter of the previous year.
“The first quarter of fiscal 2005 was a disappointing quarter for J. Jill,” said Gordon R. Cooke, president and CEO, in a statement. “Our early spring merchandise assortments and marketing campaigns did not resonate well with our customers and, as a result, productivity levels in both channels [retail and direct] were below our expectations.”
The company is in the midst of an effort to revamp its merchandise offerings to cater to a customer base looking for more “trend relevant and flattering” offerings, rather than the “oversized” look J. Jill had cultivated, said Cooke. “We feel that we are headed in the right direction and we will continue to enhance the merchandise by listening and responding to our customers.”
The company is on track to open 40 additional retail stores this year. The company plans to continue a circulation strategy of mailing only to breakeven or above, even if that means a downsizing of the direct business, he noted.
