Topic: How To Invest

Pat: What are your thoughts on the prospects for Coldwater Creek? Thank you.

Article Excerpt

Coldwater Creek, $0.87, symbol CWTR on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 94.3 million; Market cap: $82.0 million, www.coldwatercreek.com), is a retailer that sells women’s clothing, gifts, jewellery and accessories. The company gets 75% of its sales from its chain of 366 stores located across the U.S. The remaining 25% comes from online sales (at coldwatercreek.com) and sales through its catalogues. Idaho-based Coldwater Creek was founded in 1984. Coldwater’s customers are mainly women between the ages of 35 and 60 who have household incomes above $75,000. In its fiscal 2011 third quarter, which ended October 29, 2011, Coldwater Creek’s sales fell 19.3%, to $187.5 million from $232.4 million a year earlier. The company’s loss widened to $29.2 million, or $0.31 a share, from a loss of $10.8 million, or $0.12 a share. In October 2011, Coldwater Creek raised $23.0 million by selling 28.9 million shares at $0.85 each. The company needs the funds to update its merchandise and close underperforming stores. (It plans to close 35 to…