sales for the two-month period beginning November 1 and ending December 31, 2002.
For the two-month Christmas selling season, comparable store sales were up 1.5% . Urban Retail was up 4% and Anthropologie Retail was down 2% versus last year’s comparable store sales increases of 2% and 14%, respectively. Comparable store sales for the calendar month of December decreased by 1%, with Urban Retail up 2% and Anthropologie Retail down 6%. Direct-to-consumer sales surged 48% during the month of December with strong growth at both urbn.com and Anthropologie Direct.
“Selling was strong for most of November, especially Thanksgiving weekend, but slowed significantly during the first part of December. Sales increased dramatically immediately before Christmas and continued to show strength into the new year,” said Mr. Hayne. “Selling strength centered on apparel and accessories, which, on a combined basis, were up `high single digits in both brands. This trend bodes well for the Spring season,” Mr. Hayne continued. “The home business at both retail brands had a disappointing Holiday season. For Spring, this area is traditionally a much smaller part of the overall business.”
Total retail store sales for the two-month period were up 14% to $81.7 million from $71.7 million for the same period of last year.
Total retail store sales for the eleven months ended December 31, 2002 were up 23% to $348.9 million from $284.6 million for the same eleven months of the prior year. Comparable store sales for the eleven-month period increased 10%, 7% for Urban Retail and 14% for Anthropologie Retail.
Thus far during the fourth quarter, the Company opened eight new stores: two Urban Outfitters stores in Atlanta, GA and Orlando, FL; and five Anthropologie Retail stores in San Jose and Palo Alto, CA, in Orlando, FL, Geneva, IL and McLean, VA. In November 2002, the Company opened its first Free People store opened in Paramus, NJ, to
