Bebe Sales Comparison Tumbles In Fiscal 1st Qtr

BRISBANE, Calif. (AP) — Apparel retailer Bebe Stores Inc. said Thursday its sales at stores open at least a year tumbled 25.7 percent in the fiscal first quarter, a sharper drop than in the same period a year earlier.

Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, are a key indicator of retailer performance since they measure growth at existing stores rather than newly opened ones.

The company said total sales fell 24 percent during the quarter ended Oct. 3, to $120.1 million.

On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected sales of $129.1 million for the quarter.