Top home goods retailers - ranked by sales in 2001 - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

DSN Retailing Today, July 8, 2002

The home category in 2001 was considered a safe harbor from the turbulent economy, provided you entered the year on strong ground. Bed Bath & Beyond was one of the fortunate ones and continued tomake strides, emerging as the leader for the year. The company's net earnings gained 27.7% in fiscal 2001 to $219.6 million, or 74 cents per share. Sales gained 22.2% and comparable store sales gained 7.1%. Bed Bath & Beyond also continued to roll out stores, opening about 80.

Meanwhile, the not-so-lucky Lechters and House2Home wound down operations.

While Martha Stewart Everyday was robust in the United States despite Kmart's problems, it stalled in Canada's Zellers stores and will jump ship in '02 to Sears Canada. Target and JCPenney, the other broadliners strong in the category, held more than their own for the year.

Several verticals endured slumps, some generated by 9/11, but began to pull out during the year. Turnaround signs came from Linens 'n Things, Pier 1 and Cost Plus World Markets, to name a few. Among them, Linens 'n Things posted. revenues that were up, but earnings and comparable store sales were off.

                                         SALES (IN MILLIONS)
CHAIN                                 2001       2000      %CHG

BED BATH & BEYOND, UNION, N.J.      $2,928     $2,397     22.17%
LINENS 'N THINGS, CLIFTON, N.J. +    1,824      1,573     15.97
PIER 1 IMPORTS, FT. WORTH, TEXAS +   1,549      1,412      9.71
IKEA U.S., PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA. +   1,250        885     41.24
COST PLUS, OAKLAND, CALIF.             568        494     14.98
HOMEGOODS, FRAMINGHAM, MASS. +         507        315     60.95
GARDEN RIDGE, HOUSTON, TEXAS           501        470      6.60
LECHTERS, HARRISON, N.J. +             170        253    (32.81)

TOTAL                               $9,296     $7,798    19.22%

                                             NO. OF STORES
CHAIN                                1/01      1/02        1/03 *

BED BATH & BEYOND, UNION, N.J.        311       396         484
LINENS 'N THINGS, CLIFTON, N.J. +     283       343         390
PIER 1 IMPORTS, FT. WORTH, TEXAS +    847       928       1,025
IKEA U.S., PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA. +     14        15          15
COST PLUS, OAKLAND, CALIF.            127       150         175
HOMEGOODS, FRAMINGHAM, MASS. +         81       112         142
GARDEN RIDGE, HOUSTON, TEXAS           33        41          41
LECHTERS, HARRISON, N.J. +            491         0           0

TOTAL                               2,187     1,935       2,272

* Projections

( ): Decline or loss

Source: Company reports and DSN Retailing Today research

+ Detailed notes about this chain are located in the Annual Retailer
Ranking list. (See INDEX, page 20.)