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St. Louis Business & Technology News
www.slfp.com/SLFPBIZp.htm "When you think Saint Louis, think Saint Louis Front Page," a weekly publication covering the news and events in the greater St. Louis area. 
St. Louis Front Page P.O. Box 1354 St. Louis, MO 63188 Voice: 314-771-0200 Fax: 314-771-0300 To submit news, contact: editor@slfp.com To advertise, contact: advertising@slfp.com 
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ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com) November 9, 2004 - Third-quarter sales were good in selected merchandise categories, but overall performance was disappointing, stated the May Department Stores Company in their third quarter report. Net sales for the first nine months of 2004 were $9.40 billion, a 6.2% increase, compared with $8.85 billion in the similar 2003 period. Store-for- store sales decreased 1.3% for the first nine months of fiscal 2004. Excluding the remaining 15 stores to be divested, store-for-store sales decreased 0.8% in the first nine months. Dresses, coats, intimate apparel, children's, and men's sportswear basics were among the weaker performers. The home sales trend continued to be difficult. The season's must-haves drove sales increases in accessories, with fashion-right newness in earrings, brooches, status handbags, ponchos, wraps, and fashion cold-weather items among the best-sellers. Cosmetics benefited from the strength of advanced skin-care products and new fragrance launches. The company's report stated that customers continued to respond to tailored looks. Ladies' suits, tailored sportswear led by jackets and skirts, and dress shoes experienced sales increases; men's designer dress shirts, neckwear, and suit separates performed well. Men's collections with modern styling and young men's collections were ahead of the store trend, as were luggage and electronic gifts. May opened four department stores during the third quarter: a Foley's store in El Paso, Texas; a Hecht's store in Nashville, Tenn.; a Meier & Frank store in Portland, Ore.; and a Robinsons-May store in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. To date, May has opened a total of five department stores and acquired 62 Marshall Field's stores in 2004. Three additional openings are planned for the year. Also, during the third quarter, May's Bridal Group opened nine David's Bridal stores and six After Hours Formalwear stores. The Bridal Group plans to open an additional 11 David's Bridal stores and seven After Hours Formalwear stores by year-end. At the end of the third quarter, May operated 500 department stores under the names of Famous-Barr, Filene's, Foley's, Hecht's, Kaufmann's, Lord & Taylor, L.S. Ayres, Marshall Field's, Meier & Frank, Robinsons-May, Strawbridge's, and The Jones Store, as well as 229 David's Bridal stores, 458 After Hours Formalwear stores, and 11 Priscilla of Boston stores. May currently operates in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Return to St. Louis Front Page  
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