Finlay Reports 11.6% Increase in Q1 Sales

Finlay Enterprises, the largest operator of licensed fine jewelry departments in department stores throughout the U.S., reported first quarter sales of $166.6 million, up 11.6 percent from the same period last year.

Specialty jewelry stores consisting of Carlyle and Congress contributed sales of $27.2 million in the quarter, as compared to $17.5 million in the same period last year.

Comparable store sales (stores open for the same months during the comparable period) for the first quarter increased 8.1 percent. Finlay attributed some of the rise to Mother’s Day falling a week earlier in 2007.

Finlay’s sales totaled $761.8 million in fiscal 2006. The company operates 749 locations, including 33 Carlyle, and five Congress specialty jewelry stores.