Budgets/Spending/Market Size

Oakland, Calif. -- Cost Plus reported a narrower loss of $3.4 million for its first quarter, compared with a net loss of $10.3 million for the same period in 2010.

Revenue increased 6% to $199.7 million, from $188.6 million.
 

New York City -- Ann Inc., the operator of Ann Taylor and Loft stores, posted a 21% increase in its fiscal-first-quarter earnings and raised its full-year sales estimate.

For the quarter ended April 30, Ann reported a profit of $27.3 million, up from $22.62 million in the prior-year quarter.

Sales rose almost 10% to $523.6 million, but margins slipped to 57.3%, against 59% last year. Same-store sales rose 7.8%.
 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A few days after Dick's Sporting Goods reported higher-than-expected earnings, Hibbett Sports posted even more impressive sales and income growth. Hibbett Sports reported that net sales for the first quarter increased 10.4% to $203.7 million compared with $184.5 million for the same period last year. Comparable-store sales increased 6.8%.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday by Bloomberg said that consumer confidence fell last week to the lowest level in nine months as the cost of fuel pinched U.S. household budgets.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index declined to minus 49.4 in the period to May 15, the worst reading since August, from the prior week’s minus 46.9. A gauge of personal finances plunged to the weakest level since October 2009, and a monthly measure of economic expectations held at a seven-month low.

Columbus, Ohio -- Limited Brands reported Wednesday that strong sales boosted its first-quarter profit to $165.2 million, up 47% over its prior-year profit of $112.5 million. The company warned that rising costs will hurt its margins this year.

The parent of Bath and Body Works, Victoria's Secret and La Senza previously reported a revenue increase of 15% to $2.22 billion. Same-store sales rose 15%.
 

ALBANY, N.Y. — Trans World Entertainment reported a 78% improvement in net loss to $2.5 million, or 8 cents per share, for the first quarter as compared with a net loss of $11.4 million or 36 cents per share for the same period last year.    

For the first quarter, total sales decreased 16% to $131.5 million compared with $156.5 million in 2010.  Comparable-store sales for the quarter decreased 2%.   During the quarter, the company operated an average of 451 stores compared with 548 stores last year, a 17.7% decline.  

Phoenix -- PetSmart reported Wednesday that net income in the first quarter rose 28% to $70.9 million, compared with $55.6 million in the year-ago period. Results beat Wall Street expectations.

Revenue increased almost 7% to $1.49 billion, from $1.40 billion in the previous year. Same-store sales rose by 5%.

Grapevine, Texas -- GameStop Corp. reported Thursday that fiscal first-quarter profit rose 6.9% to $80.4 million, compared with $75.2 million a year earlier.

Overall sales rose 9.5% to $2.28 billion, while same-store sales increased 5.3%.