Big Retailers Report Mixed Sales Results

The nation’s retailers turned in mixed and largely disappointing sales results during September as choosy consumers first put off shopping and then shunned many discount and specialty merchants.

Sales were “generally terrible, as expected,” said Terrence McEvoy, a retail industry analyst with Janney Montgomery Scott Inc. He spoke after the big store owners announced their results Thursday.

Apparel retailers generally remained in a rut that is now several years old, although the fortunes of some of the players changed, at least temporarily.

Limited Inc., whose sales have been in the tank for some time, posted a moderate improvement. But Talbots, the upscale women’s clothing chain that has been a strong performer until recently, had its second straight disappointing month.

Department store operators announced some of the best September results as they continued to take market share away from specialty and discount stores.

“If you had the right goods at the right price, you did better,” McEvoy said.