Williams Sonoma

Upscale home-goods retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. posted a higher quarterly profit, but its shares fell 4% after it forecast disappointing earnings for the current fiscal year on tough economic conditions. The owner of the Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and West Elm chains forecast earnings per share of $1.42 to $1.56 for the fiscal year that began Feb. 4. Analysts, on average, were expecting $1.62, according to Reuters Estimates. For the current quarter, Williams-Sonoma said it expected results of break-even to earnings of 3 cents a share.

Home goods retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. reported a decline in its holiday same-store sales and gave a weak outlook for the current quarter and upcoming fiscal year, sending its shares down as much as 13%. The owner of the Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and West Elm chains said sales at stores open at least a year fell 0.4% in the nine weeks ended Dec. 30 compared with the previous year, hurt by weak demand for home furnishings. Revenue for the period rose to $1.02 billion from $977.

Williams-Sonoma Inc., the biggest U.S. gourmet-cookware chain, said third-quarter profit dropped and fourth-quarter earnings would be at the low end of an earlier forecast as the housing slump discouraged shoppers. Its shares fell the most in a year. Fewer customers are visiting stores this month than the retailer anticipated amid a weakening economy, Chief Executive Howard Lester said. Net income decreased 7.1% to $27.1 million, or 25 cents a share, meeting analysts' estimates.

Williams-Sonoma Inc., the biggest U.S. gourmet-cookware chain, reported profit Wednesday that exceeded analysts' estimates and increased its full-year earnings forecast. The stock price rose the most in more than five years. The retailer's Pottery Barn unit, whose 190 stores account for half of revenue, boosted sales at locations open at least a year for the first time in five quarters.

Williams-Sonoma Inc., the biggest gourmet-cookware retailer in the U.S., said Wednesday that first-quarter profit fell 21% as sales at its Pottery Barn stores declined for the fourth consecutive quarter. Revenue rose 2.7% to $816.1 million, the smallest gain in at least nine years. Net income decreased to $18.2 million, or 16 cents a share, Williams-Sonoma said. Profit a year earlier was $23.1 million, or 20 cents.

Gourmet-cookware retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. on Tuesday reported holiday sales that exceeded analysts' estimates on gains at all but one of its chains. The company's stock rose 5.85%, the most in more than two years. Sales at Williams-Sonoma's stores open more than a year rose 1.1% for the eight weeks through Dec. 24, the San Francisco-based retailer said. Total revenue gained 3.6% to $900.4 million.

Williams-Sonoma Inc. said Tuesday that its chairman was retaking the reins of the San Francisco home-furnishings retailer, which is struggling with sluggish sales. Howard Lester, 70, who bought a small chain of cookware stores in Northern California and turned it into a national powerhouse, will replace Chief Executive Ed Mueller, who the company said was retiring. Lester, who has been chairman since 1986, was CEO of Williams-Sonoma from 1979 to 2001.