UPDATE 1-Chico's June same-store sales fall 12.9 percent
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NEW YORK, July 9 (Reuters) - Women's clothing retailer Chico's FAS Inc (CHS.N) said on Wednesday that sales at established stores fell 12.9 percent in June, led by declines at its Chico's and White House/Black Market chains.
Analysts on average were expecting June same-store sales to fall 14.2 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data issued on Tuesday.
Net sales at the company, which also operates the SOMA Intimates chains, decreased 5.1 percent to $151.4 million for the five weeks ended on July 5, compared with a year earlier.
On a recorded call, the retailer said June same-store sales fell about 16 percent at its Chico's chain and roughly 9 percent at its White House/Black Market stores, but were "up strongly" at SOMA.
Chico's has posted a long string of declines in same-store sales -- 16.9 percent in May, 15.5 percent in April, 20.7 percent in March and 14.9 percent in February.
Clothing retailers like Chico's, which targets women over 40 who choose traditional styles, have been struggling as uninspired fashions, a pullback in consumer spending and increased mark downs hurt sales and profits. (Reporting by Nicole Maestri; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
