Stein Mart, Inc. announced total sales and comparable store sales for the fiscal period ended February 25, 2006, as follows (dollars in millions):
Total Sales Percent Change Fiscal Period: Total Comparable 2006 2005 Sales Store Sales February (4 weeks) $ 97.2 $ 105.3 (7.7)% (8.5)%
In February, the best performing categories were petite sportswear, social occasion, and intimate apparel. The repositioning of the home category continues, with positive response especially in the decorative home furnishings assortment. Geographically, the best results were along the Gulf Coast and in the West.
“Our momentum in the last half of January began to moderate in early February, with a significant drop in traffic and sales in the last three weeks of the month; however, we anticipate improving trends in March and April corresponding to the later Easter holiday, which would result in same store sales for the first quarter approximately flat to last year,” commented Michael D. Fisher, president and chief executive officer. “Our clearance process continues to be on track, but at a higher markdown rate due to lower than anticipated traffic.”
The Company operated 261 stores at the end of the February period in both 2006 and 2005.