Press Release:
PHILADELPHIA, PA, February 9, 2012 – Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ:URBN – News), a leading lifestyle specialty retail company operating under the Anthropologie, BHLDN, Free People, Terrain and Urban Outfitters brands today announced record net sales for the quarter and year ended January 31, 2012.
For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, total company net sales increased 9% over the same quarter last year to $731 million. Comparable retail segment net sales, which include the direct-to-consumer channels, increased 2% for the quarter, while comparable store net sales decreased 1% for the quarter. Comparable retail segment net sales at Urban Outfitters, Free People and Anthropologie increased 3%, 9% and 1%, respectively. Direct-to-consumer comparable net sales increased 14% and wholesale segment net sales rose 3% for the quarter.
For the year ended January 31, 2012, total Company net sales increased to $2.5 billion or 9% over the prior year. Comparable retail segment net sales were flat while comparable store net sales decreased 4%. Direct-to-consumer comparable net sales rose 14% for the year and wholesale segment net sales increased 11%.
“While each brand reported record sales for the fourth quarter, we are most pleased with the progress the teams made on reducing overall inventory levels. Promotional activity was significantly higher than planned but ending inventories were clean, and on a comparable store basis, lower than the prior year,” said Richard Hayne, Chief Executive Officer. “The direct-to-consumer channel remains a highlight with each brand experiencing strong growth during the quarter. We remain especially excited about the opportunities surrounding this channel.”
During year ended January 31, 2012, the Company opened a total of 57 new stores including: 21 new Urban Outfitters stores, 15 new Anthropologie stores, 20 new Free People stores and 1 BHLDN store. The Company will release fourth quarter and fiscal year 2012 earnings results on March 12, 2012.
Urban Outfitters, Inc. is an innovative specialty retail company which offers a variety of lifestyle merchandise to highly defined customer niches through 197 Urban Outfitters stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, catalogs and websites; 168 Anthropologie stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, catalogs and websites; Free People wholesale, which sells its product to approximately 1,400 specialty stores and select department stores; 62 Free People stores, catalogs and websites, 1 Terrain garden center and website and 1 BHLDN store and website as of January 31, 2012.
