99 Cents Only net loss widens in fiscal 2014

City of Commerce, Calif. – 99 Cents Only Stores LLC reported a widening net loss in an abbreviated 10-month fiscal 2014 which was shortened from the Saturday closest to the end of March to the Friday closest to the end of January. Net loss grew to $12.48 million from $8.9 million.



Total net sales were $1.53 billion, down 8% from $1.66 billion. Same-store sales rose 3.7%.



"We are pleased with the progress we have made on implementing our strategic plan to accelerate store growth and improve sales and margin," said Stephane Gonthier, CEO of 99 Cents Only. “We are also encouraged by the favorable responses from our consumers to our 'Go-Taller' program, which has retrofitted the display shelving from a height of 54 inches to 78 inches at 64 of our stores in the past two months. We are on track to complete the retrofits by September 2014.