The Bon-Ton Stores falls to 52-week low as Q3 loss widens

Alex Alexandrov | Nov 29, 2007 5:10pm EST | Comment

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Shares of The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq: BONT) fell to a new 52-week low today on news the small-cap retailer of fashion apparel widened its third-quarter loss and lowered its sales outlook for fiscal 2007.

Net loss for the three months ended Nov. 3 was $19.4 million, or $1.17 per share, compared with a net loss of $10.9 million, or $0.66 per share a year earlier. Analyst estimates were not available.

The York, Pa.-based company, which operates 280 department stores in 23 states, reported that total sales fell 2.9% to $780.8 million from $804.1 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2006.

“The deterioration of the macro-economic environment and the unseasonable weather in September and October negatively impacted our comparable store sales in both months,” said president and CEO Bud Bergren in a statement.

Same-store sales have decreased 7.4% on year-to-date basis, and the The Bon-Ton Stores said that is expects the figures for the full year fiscal 2007 to show a decline of between 1.9% and 2.2%.

The previous guidance, released on Aug. 23, called for same-store sales to decline between 1% and 1.5%.

Fiscal 2007 earnings are projected between $1.50 per share and $1.80 per share, well below the previous guidance’s range of between $2.75 per share and $2.90 per share.

“Our revised guidance includes the expectation that the retail environment will continue to be promotional through the holidays,” explained Keith Plowman, vice president and CFO, in a statement. “We are managing our inventories and expenses accordingly.”

Shares of The Bon-Ton Stores (BONT) closed down $2.56, or 19%, to $10.76. The previous 52-week low of $11.48 was set on Nov. 21. The 52-week high of $57.66 was touched on Mar. 29.