For the most part, marketers reporting November results on Thursday showed an upbeat start to the shopping season.
For the calendar month ended Nov. 30, total sales for Sharper Image Corp. increased 17% to $78.9 million from last November’s $67.3 million. Total catalog/direct marketing sales increased 19% to $21.5 million from last November’s $18.1 million. Internet sales increased 30% to $14.1 million from last November’s $10.8 million. Total sales for the first 10 months of 2004 increased 23% to $527.0 million from last year’s $427.2 million. Direct marketing sales increased 30% to $154.4 million from last year’s $118.9 million. Online sales increased 31% to $81.8 million from last year’s $62.3 million. Slow processing of key holiday items through West Coast ports adversely affected November sales, noted CEO Richard Thalheimer in a statement.
The Talbots Inc. reported total sales for fiscal November increased 4% to $130.5 million, compared to $126 million for the four weeks ended Nov. 29, 2003. Year-to-date sales for the forty-three weeks ended Nov. 27 increased 5% to $1,380.1 million from $1,318.8 million for the same period in 2003.
JoS. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. posted sales for fiscal November of $36.1 million, a 22% increase over the $29.6 million in the prior-year month. Combined catalog and Internet sales increased 16.6%. Total sales for the 10 months ended Nov. 27, 2004 increased 22.9% to $280.6 million, compared with $228.4 million in the same period in 2003. Direct sales rose 18.2%. November sales gains were largest in seasonal fall merchandise such as blazers, top coats and outerwear, as well as dress shirts, ties and sportswear.
J. C. Penney Company Inc. reported total sales of $1.83 billion for fiscal November, a 9.2% increase over the $1.67 billion posted in the same period last year. Direct sales dropped 4.1% to $284 million from the $296 million posted in November 2003. Department store sales, however, were up 12% to $1.5 million, compared to $1.37 million in the prior year period. The company attributed the shift to the Thanksgiving week period — traditionally strong for stores — being included in the November results; last year it was in December’s numbers. Total sales for the year so far were $14.2 billion, up 6.1% from the $13.4 billion posted last year. Direct sales were $2.15 billion, up 1.9% from the $2.11 billion reported in 2003.
Nordstrom Inc. reported preliminary sales of $667.6 million for the four-week period ending Nov, 27, an increase of 6.2% compared to sales of $628.4 million for the corresponding four-weeks in 2003. Preliminary year-to-date sales of $5.7 billion increased 10.9% compared to sales of $5.1 billion in 2003.
November net sales for Abercrombie & Fitch increased 17% to $188.0 million, compared to last year’s November sales of $161.2 million. Year-to-date, the company reported a net sales increase of 16% to $1.522 billion from $1.309 billion last year.
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