NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT: Peter D. Brown
Vice
President, Treasurer
and Investor Relations
Foot
Locker, Inc.
(212)
720-4254
·
Third quarter
total sales increased 3.3 percent
·
Third quarter
comparable-store sales decreased 0.7 percent
·
Third quarter
earnings expected to be within previous estimated range
NEW YORK, NY, November 7, 2002 – Foot Locker, Inc.
(NYSE: Z), the New York-based specialty athletic retailer, today reported sales
for the 13-week period ended November 2, 2002 of $1,120 million, versus $1,084
million in the comparable period last year, an increase of 3.3 percent. For this same 13-week period,
comparable-store sales decreased 0.7 percent.
For the 39-week period ended November 2, 2002, sales
increased 3.9 percent to $3,294 million, from $3,170 million in the Company’s
corresponding period last year.
Comparable-store sales for the Company’s first nine months of its 2002
fiscal year increased 0.5 percent.
Excluding the effect of foreign currency
fluctuations, total sales for the 13-week and 39 week periods increased 2.1
percent and 3.1 percent, respectively.
“The Company’s comparable-store sales improved
during September and October, from a weak result in August,” stated Matthew D.
Serra, Foot Locker, Inc.’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to expect our third quarter
gross margin rate to increase versus last year, reflecting better merchandise
buying. As such, we currently expect
third quarter earnings to be within our previously stated range of
$0.28-to-$0.30 per share.”
Foot Locker, Inc. plans to report its third quarter
2002 and year-to-date results on Thursday, November 21, 2002. A conference call is scheduled on that same
date for 10:00a.m. EST to discuss these results and provide guidance with
regard to its earnings outlook for the fourth quarter and full year of
2002. This conference call may be
accessed live from the Investor Relations section of the Foot Locker, Inc.
website at http://www.footlocker-inc.com. Please log-on to the website at least 15
minutes prior to the call in order to download any necessary software. The webcast conference call will be
available for replay until 5:00p.m. Monday, November 25, 2002. News releases are also available on the
Internet at http://www.prnewswire.com
or on Foot Locker Inc.'s website at http://www.footlocker-inc.com.
Foot
Locker, Inc. is a specialty athletic retailer that operates approximately 3,600
athletic retail stores in 14 countries in North America, Europe and
Australia. Through its Foot Locker,
Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker and Champs Sports retail stores, as well as
its direct-to-customer channel Footlocker.com/Eastbay, the Company is the
leading provider of athletic footwear and apparel.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s current views of future events and financial performance. These forward-looking statements are based on many assumptions and factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the effects of currency fluctuations, customer demand, fashion trends, competitive market forces, uncertainties related to the effect of competitive products and pricing, customer acceptance of the Company’s merchandise mix and retail locations, unseasonable weather, risks associated with foreign global sourcing, including political instability and changes in import regulations, economic conditions worldwide, and the ability of the Company to execute its business plans effectively with regard to each of its business units. Any changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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Foot Locker, Inc., 112 West 34th
Street, New York, New York 10120