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Chico's FAS (CHS)
Chico's knows its customers, that's for sure. The apparel chain, which caters to middle-aged women, sells its original designs in just four sizes: 0, 1, 2, and 3. And it doesn't outfit its dressing rooms with mirrors, meaning customers trying on clothes have to step out for a look-see -- where they find a sales rep holding accessories that would go well with that skirt. Chico's formula continues to work: Profits rose an average 42.5% annually over the past three years on an average 38% yearly increase in sales, a performance aided in small part by its 2004 acquisition of White House/Black Market, another women's boutique chain. Shares of Chico's have risen from just above $10 in spring 2004 to just under $50 in February. But the stock has since slid back to $30, after Chico's missed its first-quarter earnings estimates by a penny. An expensive miss, indeed.
Company Info |
|
| 2005 Rank | 15 |
| Market Value* ($ Millions) | 6,734.8 |
| Sales* ($ Millions) | 1,404.6 |
| Sales Growth (3-yr. avg. annual) |
38.3 % |
| Profits* ($ Millions) | 194.0 |
| Profit Growth (3-yr. avg. annual) | 42.5 % |
| Return on Inv. Capital (3-yr.) | 24.8 % |
| Share Price 12-Mo. Hi/Lo | 49/26 |
| Share Price As of 4/28/06 | 37 |
| Return on Equity | 24.1 % |
| P/E Ratio | 35 |
| No. of Employees | 11,000 |
| Industry | Apparel Retail |
| CURRENT MARKET INFO | CHS > |
| COMPANY WEB SITE > | |
| Location | Fort Myers, Fla. |
| Phone | 239 277-6200 |
*Trailing 12 months
Stock price data as of 4/28/06
DATA: Standard & Poor's Compustat
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Company Snapshot
Chico's FAS operates as a retailer of private label, casual-to-dressy clothing, intimates, complementary accessories, and other nonclothing gift items. The company offers its products under the Chico's, White House|Black Market (WH|BM), Soma by Chico's, and Fitigues brand names. The Chico's brand includes clothing focused on women who are 35 years old and over. The Chico's brand clothing is made from natural fabrics and fabric blends, as well as synthetics and synthetic blends. The WH|BM brand focuses on women who are 25 years old and over. Its offerings include clothing made from various natural and synthetic fabrics, including cotton, rayon, silk, polyester, microfibers, and matte jersey in white and black, and related shades. The Chico's and the WH|BM brands also comprise accessories, such as handbags; belts; and jewelry, such as earrings, watches, necklaces, and bracelets. The Soma by Chico's brand includes bras, panties, and shapewear, as well as activewear, sleepwear, robes, and loungewear. The Fitigues brand offers clothing that are made from natural fabrics, such as cotton and cashmere. As of Mar. 17, 2006, the company operated 784 retail stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Chico's FAS also sells its products through a catalog, a small franchise network, and the Internet. The company was founded in 1983 and has its headquarters in Fort Myers, Fla.
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