Famous Footear December Comps Rise 2.0%

Brown Shoe Company, Inc. reported that retail sales at Famous Footwear increased 7.1% to $119.8 million compared to $111.8 million for the same period last year (ended January 3, 2004). Same-store sales were up 2.0%.

Sales at Brown Shoe’s Naturalizer retail division, a 381-store chain selling the Naturalizer brand of women’s footwear in the U.S. and Canada, were $20,000,000 in December compared to $19,600,000 last December. Same-store sales decreased 2.3 percent.

“December sales at Famous Footwear continued positive and our financial performance was on-plan. Category highlights included athletics, where fashion and classic styles again drove momentum. We also saw strength in the kids category, as consumers responded well to our assortment of branded kids shoes from top makers,” said Brown Shoe Chairman and CEO Ron Fromm.

“Naturalizer sales were hurt by the very promotional environment and softness in our seasonal boot business versus last year,” Fromm stated.

Year-to-date sales for Famous Footwear were up 3.4 percent to $1,052,700,000 compared to $1,018,100,000 for the same 48-week period last year, with same-store sales slightly positive at 0.2 percent.

  MONTH AND YEAR-TO-DATE SALES (millions)

                 FY 2004   FY 2003     %    Same-Store     Stores Open
                (1/01/05) (1/03/04) Change   % Change  1/01/05 vs. 1/03/04
   Dec. - Famous
    Footwear     $ 119.8   $ 111.8    7.1        2.0     926         904
   Y-T-D - Famous
    Footwear     1,052.7   1,018.1    3.4        0.2
   Dec. -
    Naturalizer  $  20.0      19.6    2.0       (2.3)    381         383
   Y-T-D -
    Naturalizer    180.7     178.3    1.3       (1.6)