Gap raises forecast as second-quarter profit beats estimates
Reuters
Published Aug 21, 2014 04:21PM ET
Updated Aug 21, 2014 04:40PM ET
Gap raises forecast as second-quarter profit beats estimates
(Reuters) - Teen apparel retailer Gap Inc reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit and sales and raised its full-year profit forecast, helped by strong sales of its low-priced Old Navy clothes.
Comparable sales at Old Navy stores, which cater to a slightly older customer base, rose 4 percent in the second quarter ended Aug 2.
But sales in its Gap and Banana Republic brands, which mainly cater to teens, were disappointing. Comparable store sales fell 5 percent at Gap and were flat at Banana Republic.
Many large U.S. retailers have reported disappointing quarterly sales at their established stores, pointing to a cutback in spending on discretionary items.
Gap rival Aeropostale Inc on Thursday reported a 13 percent fall in second-quarter comparable sales. American Apparel Inc said on Monday quarterly same-store sales declined 6 percent.
Gap said on Thursday it was planning to introduce its Gap brand in India through 40 franchise-operated stores.
The company raised its full-year profit forecast to $2.95-$3.00 per share for the year ending February 2015. It had previously forecast $2.90-$2.95 per share.
Analysts on average expected the company to earn $2.95 per share for the year, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Net profit rose to $332 million, or 75 cents per share, in the second quarter ended Aug. 2, from $303 million, or 64 cents per share a year ago.
Excluding items, the company earned 70 cents per share.
Revenue rose 3 percent to $3.98 billion. Comparable sales were flat versus a 5 percent increase a year earlier.
Analysts on average expected a profit of 69 cents per share on revenue of $3.96 billion.
Gap's shares were up 1 percent at $43.18 in extended trading.
(Reporting by Ramkumar Iyer in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
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Written By: Reuters
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