Cole National: first quarter fiscal year 2004 results

Cole National Corporation has announced results for the first quarter ended May 1, 2004. Revenue rose in the first quarter of fiscal 2004 to $307.7 million from $288.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2003.

The Company reported a net loss of $0.5 million, compared to a net loss of $6.4 million, for the same period in 2003.

Overall, same store sales in the Company's vision segment increased 5.7% in the first quarter of 2004.
Same store sales rose 5.0% at Sears Optical in this year's first quarter. At Target Optical, same store sales rose 17.0%. Same store sales at BJ's Optical increased 20.0% in the first quarter. Pearle Vision's same store sales in the U.S. company-owned stores increased 1.4% for the quarter.