TOKYO -- Casual apparel retailer Shimamura's consolidated operating profit for the quarter ended in May likely fell 9% on the year to about 11 billion yen ($100 million), as sales were weighed down by chilly weather, a lack of hit products and rising marketing costs.
The Japanese company's sales including operating revenue apparently slipped slightly to around 140 billion yen. Sales at core chain Fashion Center Shimamura, which accounts for about 80% of the total, fell 5%, the first decline for the March-May quarter in six years. March and April normally see an uptick in sales for spring-summer offerings, but this year's unseasonably cool weather has held off the usual increase in customer traffic.
