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Exhibit 99.1

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LIMITED BRANDS REPORTS JULY 2011 SALES AND RAISES SECOND QUARTER EARNINGS GUIDANCE

Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 4, 2011 — Limited Brands, Inc. (NYSE: LTD) reported a comparable store sales increase of 6 percent for the four weeks ended July 30, 2011, compared to the four weeks ended July 31, 2010. The company reported net sales of $660.4 million for the four weeks ended July 30, 2011, compared to net sales of $619.7 million last year.

The company reported a comparable store sales increase of 9 percent for the second quarter ended July 30, 2011, compared to the second quarter ended July 31, 2010. The company reported net sales of $2.458 billion for the second quarter ended July 30, 2011, compared to sales of $2.243 billion last year.

The company reported a comparable store sales increase of 12 percent for the 26 weeks ended July 30, 2011, compared to the 26 weeks ended July 31, 2010. The company reported net sales of $4.675 billion for the 26 weeks ended July 30, 2011, compared to sales of $4.174 billion last year.

The company now expects to report second quarter adjusted earnings per share of $0.44 to $0.46 cents versus its previous guidance of $0.38 to $0.43 cents.

To hear further commentary provided on Limited Brands’ prerecorded July sales message, call 1-866-639-7583 (1-866-NEWS-LTD), or log onto www.Limitedbrands.com for an audio replay. The company will report its second quarter earnings results after the close of the market on Aug. 17 and will conduct its second quarter earnings call at 9 a.m. Eastern on Aug. 18.

ABOUT LIMITED BRANDS:

Limited Brands, through Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Bath & Body Works, La Senza, C.O. Bigelow, White Barn Candle Co. and Henri Bendel, is an international company. The company operates 2,626 specialty stores in the United States and its brands are sold in more than 800 company-operated and franchised additional locations world-wide. The company’s products are also available online at www.VictoriasSecret.com, www.BathandBodyWorks.com, www.HenriBendel.com and www.LaSenza.com.

Limited Brands b-roll footage of stores is available through our online newsroom.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Limited Brands, Inc. cautions that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained in this press release or the July sales call involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, our future performance and financial results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any such forward-looking statements. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “planned,” “potential” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Risks associated with the following factors, among others, in some cases have affected and in the future could affect our financial performance and actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements included in this press release or the July sales call:

 

   

general economic conditions, consumer confidence, consumer spending patterns and market disruptions including severe weather conditions, natural disasters, health hazards, terrorist activities, financial crises, political crises or other major events, or the prospect of these events;

 

   

the seasonality of our business;

 

   

the dependence on a high volume of mall traffic and the possible lack of availability of suitable store locations on appropriate terms;

 

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our ability to grow through new store openings and existing store remodels and expansions;

 

   

our ability to successfully expand into international markets and related risks;

 

   

our independent licensees and franchisees;

 

   

our direct channel business;

 

   

our failure to protect our reputation and our brand images;

 

   

our failure to protect our trade names, trademarks and patents;

 

   

the highly competitive nature of the retail industry generally and the segments in which we operate particularly;

 

   

consumer acceptance of our products and our ability to keep up with fashion trends, develop new merchandise and launch new product lines successfully;

 

   

our reliance on foreign sources of production, including risks related to:

 

   

political instability;

 

   

duties, taxes, other charges on imports;

 

   

legal and regulatory matters;

 

   

volatility in currency exchange rates;

 

   

local business practices and political issues;

 

   

potential delays or disruptions in shipping and related pricing impacts;

 

   

the disruption of imports by labor disputes; and

 

   

changing expectations regarding product safety due to new legislation;

 

   

stock price volatility;

 

   

our failure to maintain our credit rating;

 

   

our ability to service our debt;

 

   

our ability to retain key personnel;

 

   

our ability to attract, develop and retain qualified employees and manage labor costs;

 

   

the inability of our manufacturers to deliver products in a timely manner and meet quality standards;

 

   

fluctuations in product input costs;

 

   

fluctuations in energy costs;

 

   

increases in the costs of mailing, paper and printing;

 

   

claims arising from our self-insurance;

 

   

our ability to implement and maintain information technology systems;

 

   

our failure to comply with regulatory requirements;

 

   

tax matters; and

 

   

legal and compliance matters.

We are not under any obligation and do not intend to make publicly available any update or other revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the July sales call to reflect circumstances existing after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of future events even if experience or future events make it clear that any expected results expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements will not be realized. Additional information regarding these and other factors can be found in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Adjusted information which provides non-GAAP financial estimates is presented in order to improve investor’s understanding of expected results and improve comparability of expected financial information from period to period.

 

For further information, please contact:  
Limited Brands:  
Investor Relations   Media Relations
Amie Preston   Tammy Roberts Myers
(614) 415-6704   (614) 415-7072
apreston@limitedbrands.com   extcomm@limitedbrands.com

 

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LIMITED BRANDS

JULY 2011

Comparable Store Sales Increase (Decrease):

 

     July
2011
    July
2010
    Second
Quarter

2011
    Second
Quarter

2010
    Year-to-
Date
2011
    Year-to-
Date
2010
 

Victoria’s Secret Stores

     9     12     12     13     15     12

La Senza

     2     (4 %)      1     0     (1 %)      1

Bath & Body Works

     2     15     4     0     7     3

Limited Brands

     6     12     9     7     12     8

Total Sales (Millions):

 

     Second
Quarter 2011
     Second
Quarter 2010
     Year-to-date
2011
     Year-to-date
2010
 

Victoria’s Secret Stores

   $ 1,063.6       $ 955.3       $ 2,050.1       $ 1,783.4   

Victoria’s Secret Direct

     392.9         391.0         761.9         741.2   

La Senza

     114.2         101.8         202.5         187.2   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Victoria’s Secret

   $ 1,570.7       $ 1,448.1       $ 3,014.5       $ 2,711.8   

Bath & Body Works

   $ 563.0       $ 536.5       $ 1,042.7       $ 966.8   

Total Other

   $ 324.4       $ 257.9       $ 617.9       $ 495.4   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Limited Brands

   $ 2,458.1       $ 2,242.5       $ 4,675.1       $ 4,174.0   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Company-Operated Stores:

 

     Stores
Operating
at 1/29/11
    

 

Year-to-date

    Stores
Operating
at 7/30/11
 
        Opened      Closed    

Victoria’s Secret Stores

     1,028         1         (11     1,018   

Bath & Body Works

     1,606         1         (11     1,596   

Henri Bendel

     11         1         —          12   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total United States

     2,645         3         (22     2,626   

La Senza Canada

     252         —           (3     249   

Bath & Body Works Canada

     59         3         —          62   

Victoria’s Secret Canada

     12         2         —          14   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Limited Brands

     2,968         8         (25     2,951   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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