Cost-U-Less Reports 11.5% Increase in Same Store Sales for Fourth Quarter, 13.6% Increase for Full Year 2004.BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Cost-U-Less, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq:CULS CULS Capital University Law School (Columbus, Ohio) ) today reported an increase of 11.5% in same store sales Same Store Sales A statistic used in retail industry analysis. It compares sales of stores that have been open for a year or more. Notes: This statistic allows investors to determine what portion of new sales has come from sales growth and what portion from the opening of (stores open a full 13 months), for the fiscal quarter ended December 26, 2004. Same store sales for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2004, increased 13.6%. Same store sales for the fiscal quarter and year ended December 26, 2004, are calculated on stores excluding the Guam market as the Company's Dededo store was closed from December 8, 2002, until October 3, 2003, due to damage resulting from Supertyphoon Pongsona that swept through the island of Guam on December 8, 2002. Total sales for the fiscal quarter ended December 26, 2004, increased 13.8% to $57.4 million, compared to $50.5 million for the same period a year ago. Total sales for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2004, increased 18.3% to $209.4 million, compared to $177.1 million for fiscal year 2003. Total sales for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2004, compared to the same period a year ago benefited from the increase in same store sales as well as sales generated from the reopened unit in Dededo, Guam Dededo is the most populous village of the American island of Guam. According to the U.S. census bureau estimates, Dededo's population was 46,000 in 2004. The village is located on the coral plateau of Northern Guam. . "These spectacular results mark the best quarter of sales in the finest year in Company history," said J. Jeffrey Meder, the Company's President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . "Most of the offshore economies in which we conduct business are improving, our store level personnel are consistently exceeding customer expectations, and we believe the coordination between merchandising merchandising Element of marketing concerned especially with the sale of goods and services to customers. One aspect of merchandising is advertising, which aims to capture the interest of the segment of the population most likely to buy the product. and operations has resulted in an appealing mix of product while retaining our competitive pricing. We congratulate the more than five hundred people who have helped make this year so successful." Separately, the Company reported that construction of its new store on the island of St Croix is on schedule and is expected to open late in the second fiscal quarter of 2005. As previously reported, the Company is relocating its St Croix store from the west end of the island to a location close to the main trade area in the center of the island. The size of the new store will be approximately 38,000 square feet, representing a 45% increase in square footage over the current store. On February 24, 2005, the Company expects to announce its financial results for the fourth fiscal quarter and year ended December 26, 2004. Cost-U-Less currently operates eleven stores in the Caribbean and Pacific region: U.S. Virgin Islands (2), Netherlands Antilles Netherlands Antilles, island group, an autonomous part of the Netherlands (2005 est. pop. 220,000), 371 sq mi (961 sq km), West Indies. Formerly known as the Dutch West Indies and Netherlands West Indies, they are divided into two groups. (2), Hawaiian Islands (2), California (1), Guam (2), American Samoa American Samoa, officially Territory of American Samoa, unincorporated territory of the United States (2000 pop. 57,291), comprising the eastern half of the Samoa island chain in the South Pacific. (1), and Republic of Fiji (1). The Company builds its business through delivering high-quality U.S. and local goods, progressive merchandising practices, sophisticated distribution capabilities, and superior customer service, primarily to island markets. Additional information about Cost-U-Less is available at www.costuless.com. This press release contains statements that are forward-looking. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. Such statements, including comparable store sales expectations, trends in or expectations regarding the Company's revenue growth, and the Company's growth plans are all based on currently available operating, financial, and competitive information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including that the Company may encounter substantial delays, increased expenses or loss of potential store sites due to the complexities, cultural differences, and local political issues associated with the regulatory and permitting processes in the island markets in which the Company may locate its stores. Prolonged pro·long tr.v. pro·longed, pro·long·ing, pro·longs 1. To lengthen in duration; protract. 2. To lengthen in extent. adverse occurrences affecting tourism or air travel, particularly to non-U.S. destinations, including political instability, armed hostilities, terrorism, natural disasters or other activity that involves or affects air travel or the tourism industry generally, could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated. Other risks and uncertainties include the Company's small store base; the mix of geographic and product revenues; relationships with third parties; litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. ; the Company's ability to maintain existing credit facilities credit facilities npl → facilidades fpl de crédito credit facilities npl → facilités fpl de paiement credit facilities and obtain additional credit; business and economic conditions and growth in various geographic regions; pricing pressures; political and regulatory instability in various geographic regions; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in the Company's filings with the SEC. |
|
||||||||||||

Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion