Earnings In Brief
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Parlux: Sales for second quarter ended Sept. 30, 2008 are expected to be up 43% versus the prior-year period, at $53 mil., firm announces Sept. 6. Gains attributed to launch of Jessica Simpson's Fancy fragrance and Paris Hilton's Fairy Dust, which Parlux projects will contribute $6.5 million and $1.5 million in domestic department store sales, respectively; Fancy rolled out in August, and Fairy Dust is launching now (1"The Rose Sheet" July 28, 2008, p. 11; 2"The Rose Sheet" Oct. 6, 2008, p. 7). Domestic department store sales increased 190% overall, compared with the same period a year ago, and sales to international customers rose 51 percent, Parlux says. Perfumania sales, however, were down roughly 33% to $20 mil., firm says. Parlux remains "cautiously optimistic" about upcoming holiday season. Chairman and CEO Neil J. Katz notes that GUESS? brand building strategy - including recent partnership with Sephora in Europe - is paying off. Investments in advertising, promotional and in-store campaigns, and sales force increases will continue to "provide very tangible positive results in the future," Katz predicts