UNION, N.J., June 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.
(Nasdaq: BBBY) today announced that it is presently estimating net earnings
for the fiscal first quarter ended June 2, 2007 of approximately $.36 to $.38
per diluted share versus $.35 per diluted share as reported in the first
quarter last year. The increase in the Company's comparable store sales for
the quarter is estimated to be approximately 1.6% as compared with the planned
increase of 3 to 5%. Net sales for the fiscal quarter (including buybuy BABY
from the date of acquisition), are estimated to increase by approximately 11%
from net sales reported a year ago. The Company opened six new Bed Bath &
Beyond stores and one new Christmas Tree Shops store during the fiscal first
quarter.
The Company expects to report its actual results for the fiscal first
quarter after the close of trading on Wednesday, June 27, 2007, and will
update guidance for the full year during its conference call scheduled for
5:00 PM (EDT) on that date. The Company does not undertake any obligation to
update its forward-looking statements or make "pre-announcements" such as that
contained in this press release.
Steven H. Temares, Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of
Directors of Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. stated, "Based upon what we have
experienced and has been reported by others, the overall retailing
environment, especially sales of merchandise related to the home, has been
challenging. The efforts of our associates and their ability to execute
remain at high levels. We continue to base our decisions upon what is
necessary to achieve our long-term objectives. While we did not achieve all
of our financial goals during our initial fiscal quarter of 2007, we remain
optimistic that this year will be our best ever."
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") is a nationwide
chain of retail stores, operating under the names of Bed Bath & Beyond,
Christmas Tree Shops, Harmon and buybuy BABY. The Company sells a wide
assortment of merchandise principally including domestics merchandise and home
furnishings as well as food, giftware, health and beauty care items and infant
and toddler merchandise. Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. are traded on
NASDAQ under the symbol "BBBY" and are included in the Standard & Poor's 500
and Global 1200 Indices and the NASDAQ-100 Index. The Company is counted
among the Fortune 500 and the Forbes 2000.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Many of these
forward-looking statements can be identified by use of words such as may,
will, expect, anticipate, estimate, assume, continue, project, plan and
similar words and phrases. The Company's actual results and future financial
condition may differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-
looking statements as a result of many factors that may be outside the
Company's control. Such factors include, without limitation: changes in the
retailing environment and consumer preferences and spending habits;
demographics and other macro-economic factors that may impact the level of
spending for the types of merchandise sold by the Company; general economic
conditions; unusual weather patterns; competition from existing and potential
competitors; competition from other channels of distribution; pricing
pressures; the cost of labor, merchandise and other costs and expenses; the
ability to find suitable locations at acceptable occupancy costs to support
the Company's expansion program; and matters arising out of or related to the
Company's stock option grants and procedures and related matters, including
the outcome of the informal inquiry commenced by the SEC, the possibility that
the SEC may not agree with all of the special committee's findings and
recommendations and may require additional or different remediation, any other
proceedings which may be brought against the Company by the SEC or other
governmental agencies, any matters arising out of the inquiry commenced by the
US Attorney for the District of New Jersey relating to the Company's stock
option grants, any tax implications relating to the Company's stock option
grants, the outcome of the shareholder derivative actions filed against
certain of the Company's officers and directors, and the possibility of other
private litigation relating to such stock option grants and related matters.
The Company does not undertake any obligation to update its forward-looking
statements.
INVESTOR CONTACTS (at 908/688-0888):
Ronald Curwin Ext: 4550
Kenneth C. Frankel Ext: 4554
SOURCE:
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.