Whitehall Jewellers Second Quarter Sales $68.4 Million

Whitehall Jewellers announced second quarter sales of $68.4 million compared to $72.3 million for the second quarter of last year. Comparable store sales decreased 6.2 percent during the quarter.

First half of the year sales totaled $139.4 million versus $145.3 million for the six-month period in 2004. Comparable store sales decreased 5 percent.

CEO Lucinda Baier said “sales performance was solid during the Mothers' Day campaign but slowed in June and July during the two subsequent campaigns.”

“In July 2004, we launched a major initiative to accelerate the sale of merchandise which was inconsistent with our branding strategy. During the second half of July of last year, sales of these goods were instrumental in generating double-digit comp store sales increases,” she added.

The company plans to release full quarterly results in September.