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Williams-Sonoma's profit surges 62%
San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended May 1 jumped 62% to $31.6 million, from $19.5 million a year earlier, topping company expectations.
Revenue rose 7.4% to $770.8 million, better than expected.
Same-store sales, which includes direct-to-consumer revenue, rose 9%. Same-store sales rose 3.1% at the namesake brand, 7.9% at Pottery Barn and a record 11% at Pottery Barn Kids.
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Report: Consumer confidence declines to nine-month low
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.