Maurices is reporting strong second-quarter profits despite harsh winter weather that reduced traffic at many of its stores.
The Duluth-based women's clothing chain lists profits of $23.7 million for its second quarter, which runs from November through January. That falls short of last year's record second-quarter profits of $27.7 million.
Meanwhile, sales increased this quarter by $9.8 million, or 3.9 percent, to $250.5 million. That betters the $241 million in sales during the same period last year.
Online and comparable store sales -- which exclude newly opened stores -- were down nearly 1 percent.
Maurices officials attribute the drop to a challenging economy and weather that kept people from getting out and shopping. But targeted promotions and tight inventory controls improved the chain's bottom line, said Brian Thun, Maurices' chief financial officer.
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So far this fiscal year, Maurices has posted $51.8 million in profits with sales increasing $27.3 million, or 5.5 percent, to $492.6 million.
Online sales have continued to grow during the last two quarters, jumping by 26 percent to $40.1 million.
"While traffic was tough for many retailers in the second quarter, Maurices finished the first two quarters with a 1 percent total comparable sales increase," company President George Goldfarb said in a prepared statement.
The rapidly growing chain will hit a milestone 900 stores in the United States and Canada this month.
"Our spring fashion has never looked better, and our inventory levels are in a great position," Goldfarb said.
Maurices is owned by the Ascena Retail Group, a publicly traded company that also owns clothing retailers Justice, Lane Bryant, Dressbarn and Catherines.
