Stein Mart Comps Climb 5.2% in July

Stein Mart total sales for the month of July were $87.5 million, an increase of 7.0% over last year. July comps increased 5.2%…

(dollars in millions):

                                    Total Sales            Percent Change
    Fiscal Period:                                       Total   Comparable
                                   2005     2004         Sales   Store Sales
    July (4 weeks)                $87.5    $81.8          7.0%      5.2%
    Second quarter (13 weeks)    $337.1   $320.6          5.1%      3.0%
    Year-to-date (26 weeks)      $717.7   $685.2          4.7%      3.1%

Men's sportswear, ladies' casual sportswear and ladies' career led the Company in comparable store sales increases. Geographically, comparable store sales were positive in all regions, and strongest in Florida, the mid-Atlantic and Southwestern United States.

“Customers are responding favorably to our new transition and fall merchandise, and we continue to be pleased with the pace of spring/summer clearance selling,” commented Michael D. Fisher, president and chief executive officer of Stein Mart, Inc. “A more advantageous blend of sales produced better merchandise margins, and we now anticipate diluted earnings per share of approximately $0.25 for the second quarter of 2005.”

The Company operated 259 stores on July 30, 2005 as compared to 257 stores at the same time last year.