| Abercrombie & Fitch Reports October Sales Results
NEW ALBANY, Ohio, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Abercrombie & Fitch
(NYSE: ANF) today reported net sales of $203.4 million for the four-week
period ended October 31, 2009 a 5% decrease from net sales of $215.0
million for the four-week period ended November 1, 2008. October comparable
store sales decreased 15%. Total Company direct-to-consumer net merchandise
sales increased 24% to $22.0 million.
Quarter-to-date, the Company reported a net sales decrease of 15% to
$765.5 million from $896.3 million last year. Comparable store sales
decreased 22% for the quarter-to-date period. Quarter-to-date, total
Company direct-to-consumer net sales increased 11% to $63.9 million.
Year-to-date, the Company reported a net sales decrease of 20% to
$2.026 billion from $2.542 billion last year. Comparable store sales
decreased 27% for the year-to-date period. Year-to-date, total Company
direct-to-consumer net merchandise sales decreased 8% to $161.6 million.
October 2009 Developments
-- Total Company net sales decreased 5%
-- Total Company comparable store sales decreased 15%
-- Total Company direct-to-consumer net merchandise sales increased 24%
-- Abercrombie & Fitch comparable store sales decreased 8%
-- abercrombie comparable store sales decreased 17%
-- Hollister Co. comparable store sales decreased 21%
-- RUEHL comparable store sales decreased 23%
At month end, the Company operated 347 Abercrombie & Fitch stores, 209
abercrombie stores, 509 Hollister Co. stores, 27 RUEHL stores and 16 Gilly
Hicks stores in the United States. The Company also operated three
Abercrombie & Fitch stores, three abercrombie stores and six Hollister Co.
stores in Canada, one Abercrombie & Fitch store and seven Hollister Co.
stores in the United Kingdom, and one Abercrombie & Fitch store and one
abercrombie store in Italy. The Company operates e-commerce websites at
http://www.abercrombie.com, http://www.abercrombiekids.com, http://www.hollisterco.com,
http://www.RUEHL.com and http://www.gillyhicks.com.
To hear the Abercrombie & Fitch pre-recorded October sales message,
please dial (800) 395-0662, or internationally, dial (402) 220-1262.
The company will release its third quarter results on Friday, November
13, 2009, prior to the open of the market and hold a conference call at
8:30 AM Eastern Time. To listen to the conference call, dial (888) 637-7707
and ask for the Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly Call or go to
http://www.abercrombie.com. The international call-in number is (913) 312-0405.
This call will be recorded and made available by dialing the replay number
(888) 203-1112 or the international number (719) 457-0820 followed by the
conference ID number 7444736 or through http://www.abercrombie.com.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM
ACT OF 1995
A&F cautions that any forward-looking statements (as such term is
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained
in this Press Release or made by management of A&F involve risks and
uncertainties and are subject to change based on various important factors,
many of which may be beyond the Company's control. Words such as
"estimate," "project," "plan," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend,"
and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. The
following factors, in addition to those included in the disclosure under
the heading " FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND RISK FACTORS" in "ITEM 1A.
RISK FACTORS" of A&F's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
January 31, 2009, in some cases have affected and in the future could
affect the Company's financial performance and could cause actual results
for the 2009 fiscal year and beyond to differ materially from those
expressed or implied in any of the forward-looking statements included in
this Press Release or otherwise made by management: current financial
crisis and general economic conditions; changes in consumer spending
patterns and consumer preferences; the effects of political and economic
events and conditions domestically and in foreign jurisdictions in which
the Company operates, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism or
war; the impact of competition and pricing; changes in weather patterns;
postal rate increases and changes; paper and printing costs; market price
of key raw materials; ability to source product from its global supplier
base; political stability; currency and exchange risks and changes in
existing or potential duties, tariffs or quotas; availability of suitable
store locations at appropriate terms; ability to develop new merchandise;
ability to hire, train and retain associates; estimates of expenses which
the Company may incur in connection with the closure of the RUEHL stores
and related direct-to-consumer operations; and the outcome of pending
litigation. Future economic and industry trends that could potentially
impact revenue and profitability are difficult to predict. Therefore, there
can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this
Press Release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant
uncertainties in the forward-looking statements included herein, the
inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by
the Company, or any other person, that the objectives of the Company will
be achieved. The forward-looking statements herein are based on information
presently available to the management of the Company. Except as may be
required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly
update or revise its forward-looking statements even if experience or
future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or
implied therein will not be realized.
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