Buckle Q4 profit rises, sales up

Kearney, Neb. The Buckle said Thursday fourth-quarter profit rose 23% as teens continued to snap up its trendy jeans and other clothing.

The retailer, which operates 407 stores in 41 states, has kept sales strong during the recession by catering to teens searching for trendy jeans and accessories.

Same-store sales rose 3.8%.

Profit for the three months ending Jan. 30 totaled $42.1 million, compared with a profit of $34.3 million a year ago.

Revenue rose 9% to $274.4 million, from $251.4 million a year ago. Analysts predicted lower revenue of $270.8 million.

For the year, profit rose 22% to $127.3 million from $104.4 million a year ago.

Revenue rose 13% to $898.3 million, from $792 million.