Mothers Work June same-store sales up 0.8 percent

Mothers Work said it expects profit of 66 cents per share to 70 cents per share in the third quarter. The company previously said it expected profit of 61 cents per share to 76 cents per share. Revenue fell 0.7 percent to $152.2 million in the quarter, from $153.2 million a year earlier.

Total sales slipped 2.1 percent in June to $45.9 million, from $46.9 million in 2007, hurt by the closing of its remaining 477 leased departments within Sears stores. The company operated 516 leased departments at Sears in 2007.

The company said June same-store sales were also hurt because there was one less Friday and Saturday in the month, than in the same period last year. Same-store sales for May and June combined rose 2.7 percent, and the company said it believes the combined number "gives a more meaningful view" of its sales performance than either month alone. Same-store sales rose 4.3 percent in May.

Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, is a key indicator of retailer performance because it measures growth at existing stores rather than newly opened ones.