Aeropostale's Sales Definitely Slowing

Small Cap Watch List member Aeropostale (ARO), a mall-based teen apparel retailer, announced that total net sales for the five-week period ended July 7, 2007 increased 5.3% to $111.4 million, from $105.8 million for the five-week period ended July 1, 2006. Same store sales for the month increased 0.2%, compared to the corresponding five-week period ended July 8, 2006.

It doesn’t take much to see that sales are slowing. Year-to-date, total net sales increased 11.6% to $475.3 million, from $426.0 million in the year-ago period. Year-to-date, same store sales increased 1.9%, compared to the corresponding period ended June 3, 2006. Its May same store sales were up 1.9%, and the average for March and April (both of which were skewed by the early Easter) was 2.9%.

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Nonetheless, the company announced a 3:2 stock split, effective August 6.