Bleak January for retailers chills Jos. A. Bank sales - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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percent drop in comparable-store sales for January at menswearretailer Jos. A. Bank Clothier Inc. Jos. A. Bank (NASDAQ: reported total sales of $34 million for the fiscalo monthof January, ended Feb. 2, a 17 percent dip from the same montb ayear ago. Last year' fiscal month of January includedfive weeks, while this year'sa included four weeks. Jos. A. Bank and other retailerd followthe calendar. The shorter January and an apparenrt weaknessin after-Christmas consumeer spending contributed to gloomy January resulte at many retailers. Retailers view comparable-storde sales as a crucial gaugedof performance. At most the term refers to salesz at all stores open at leasfta year.
Hampstead-based Jos. A. Bank does not includee stores inits comparable-store tally until theidr second fiscal year of operations. Jos. A. Bank said it expects earnings for the 2007fiscal year, whicnh ended Feb. 2, to increase by 12 percent to 14 percentf fromlast year's earnings of $43 million. Jos. A. Bank'sz January direct marketing which include catalog andInternet sales, fell by 19 At retail bellwether (NYSE: WMT), comparable-store sales inched up by 0.5 percent from a year ago, after adjusting last year'sd results for the calendar Department store (NYSE: JCP) said comparable-store salees fell by 1.9 percent.
Specialty women's retailer (NYSE: CHS) reported that comparable-stor e sales slumped by 22 percent. Jos. A. Bank has 422 storesx in 42 statesand Washington, D.C.