Stage Stores Reports July Sales -- Comparable Store Sales Increase 2.4%
04 August 2005 - 8:00PM
Business Wire
Stage Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq:STGS) today reported that total sales
for the four-week period ended July 30, 2005 increased 6.1% to
$94.5 million from $89.1 million in the prior year four-week period
ended July 31, 2004. Comparable store sales increased 2.4% versus a
decrease of 7.8% last year. The Company noted that its July 2004
comparable store sales results were negatively impacted by a
calendar shift in the Texas sales tax holiday weekend, which moved
this significant event from July in 2003 to August in 2004. The
Company further noted that this year's Texas sales tax holiday
weekend will take place in August just as it did last year. The
Company stated that most of its key merchandise departments
achieved comparable stores sales increases during the month. Of
this group, the top performing categories were women's special
sizes (+15.3%), home decor (+15.2%) and accessories (+14.9%). For
the second quarter ended July 30, 2005, the Company reported that
total sales increased 10.6% to $309.5 million from $279.9 million
last year, while comparable store sales for the quarter increased
7.0% compared to a decrease of 3.2% in the prior year period. Jim
Scarborough, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer,
commented, "We are delighted with the continued strength of our
business. Having just completed a solid second quarter in which our
comparable store sales were up a strong 7.0%, we enter the third
quarter well positioned with exciting new merchandise for the
upcoming back-to-school selling season." -0- *T SALES SUMMARY
Comparable Store Sales Trend Total Sales Fiscal Period % Increase
(Decrease) ($ in Millions) -----------------------------
---------------------- 2005 2004 2005 2004 ------------
------------- ---------- ---------- 1st Quarter 4.9% 4.5% $310.1
$289.7 May 7.0 1.0 100.0 90.6 June 11.1 (2.5) 115.0 100.1 July 2.4
(7.8) 94.5 89.1 2nd Quarter 7.0 (3.2) 309.5 279.9 (a) Year-To-Date
5.9 0.6 619.5 (a) 569.5 (a) (a) Total does not foot due to
rounding. *T Mr. Scarborough further commented, "Based on our
preliminary operating results for the second quarter, we currently
believe that we will be at or near the high end of our previously
provided earnings outlook range for the period of $0.26 to $0.30
per diluted share." The Company plans to report its actual second
quarter and six-months results before the market opens on Thursday,
August 18, 2005, and will hold a conference call and webcast the
same day beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Store Activity The
Company reported that it opened four new Stage stores and one new
Bealls store during July. The new stores were opened in Clarksville
and West Helena, Arkansas, Douglas, Arizona, Floresville, Texas and
Marshall, Missouri. For the second quarter, a total of seven new
stores were opened and two stores were closed. As a result of the
five net new stores added during the period, the Company ended the
quarter with 542 stores. About Stage Stores Stage Stores, Inc.
brings nationally recognized brand name apparel, accessories,
cosmetics and footwear for the entire family to small and mid-size
towns and communities through 542 stores located in 29 states. The
Company operates under the Stage, Bealls and Palais Royal names
throughout the South Central states, and under the Peebles name
throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Southeastern and Midwestern states.
For more information about Stage Stores, visit the Company's web
site at www.stagestoresinc.com. "Safe Harbor" Statement This news
release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including
comments regarding the Company's outlook and expectations for the
second quarter of the 2005 fiscal year. The Company intends forward
looking terminology such as "believes", "expects", "may", "will",
"should", "could", "anticipates", "plans" or similar expressions to
identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to
certain risks and uncertainties which could cause the Company's
actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the
forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include,
but are not limited to, those described in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") on April 28, 2005, in the Company's
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as filed with the SEC and other
factors as may periodically be described in other Company filings
with the SEC.
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