Philadelphia based maternity apparel retailer Mothers Work Inc announced that preliminary net sales for the month of September 2005 increased 14.2 percent to $45.5 million from $39.8 million reported for the month of September 2004. Comparable store sales for September 2005 increased 1.9 percent (based on 1,015 locations, which excludes 6 locations closed during the entire month of September 2005 due to Hurricane Katrina) versus a comparable store sales decrease of 8.9 percent (based on 897 locations) for the September 2004 period.
During September 2005, the Company opened 1 store and closed 4 stores, with all four store closings representing stores closed during the entire month of September due to Hurricane Katrina. The Company ended the month with 852 stores and 1,591 total retail locations (which excludes 4 stores and 9 total retail locations closed during the entire month of September due to Hurricane Katrina), compared to 883 stores and 1,115 total retail locations at the end of September 2004. The Company needed to shut as many as 33 locations because of Hurricane Katrina and 46 locations because of Hurricane Rita.
As of October 4, 2005, 9 locations remained closed due to Hurricane Katrina and 5 locations remained closed due to Hurricane Rita. The significant increase in the Company's total retail location count compared to a year ago resulted predominantly from the expansion of the Company's proprietary Two Hearts Maternity collection during late March 2005.
marketing@alchempro.com
