Gap Inc. October comps fall

SAN FRANCISCO Gap Inc. today reported a comparable-store sales decrease of 8% for the four weeks ended Nov. 3, compared to 7% for the period ended Oct. 28, 2006. The company reported net sales of $1.23 billion for the October 2007, which represents a 1% decrease compared with net sales of $1.24 billion for the same period last year.

By segment, comps for Gap North America fell 7% versus a 4% drop last year, Banana Republic North America comps were down 2% versus a 2% growth last year, Old Navy North America comps dropped 11%, same as last year, and international comps were down 6% versus a decrease of 8% last year.

“While comparable-store sales were down in October, merchandise margins were significantly above last year,” said Sabrina Simmons, evp of Gap Inc. finance. “The results reflect our stated strategy of managing inventory tightly to support margin improvements.” 

For the thirteen weeks ended Nov. 3, total company net sales were $3.85 billion, which is flat as compared to net sales of $3.85 billion for the thirteen weeks ended Oct. 28, 2006. The company’s third quarter comparable-store sales decreased 5% compared with a decrease of 5% in the third quarter of the prior year.

For the third quarter of fiscal year 2007, Gap Inc. expects diluted earnings per share to be 28 cents to 30 cents, as the company continues to make progress on its strategies of driving earnings with healthy margins and controlling expenses.