J. Jill Income Drops in Quarter

The J. Jill Group Inc. today reported net income of $768,000 for its first quarter, down from $2.7 million last year.

The cataloger and retailer posted net sales of $82.4 million for quarter ended March 29, up 12.3% to from $73.4 million last year. During the quarter, 41% of its sales came from its catalog operations, with online commerce generating another 21% and retail channels making up the rest.

A year ago catalog sales made up 51% of its revenue, with online sales accounting for 19% and retail accounting for 30%.

“Our business during the quarter was affected by a number of external factors including the significant geopolitical situation, continued economic weakness, adverse weather conditions and a calendar shift related to the Easter holiday,” said Gordon Cooke, CEO of the Quincy, MA firm in a statement.