Filed under: Earnings reports, Forecasts, Good news, Management, Consumer experience, Competitive strategy, Marketing and advertising, Abercrombie and Fitch (ANF)

Fears over further economic slowdown are dragging most stocks down as market trading is blood red again after a Labor Department report showed a rise of 1.7% in U.S. import prices in January. But not all the companies are pulled down by investors’ economic concerns. In fact, shares of teen retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) have gained a little over 0.5% in early morning trading, after the company posted a rise of 9% for its fourth-quarter profit.

For the quarter, Abercrombie & Fitch reported that its profit climbed to $216.8 million, boosted by strong sales from its Hollister Co. chain. Lower theft rate and higher profit margins also offset deeper discounts and the company posted earnings of $2.40 per share. Analysts were anticipating the retailer to show earnings of $2.36 per share in the quarter.

Abercrombie & Fitch also announced an 8% growth in revenues, to $1.23 billion, up from $1.14 billion a year earlier when the company benefited from an extra week. For the quarterly same-store sales though, the retailer posted a decline of 1%.

Revenue during the period was helped by a 0.8% increase in gross profit that benefited from higher margins early in the quarter. In addition, smaller values for the rate of shrinkage overshadowed the company’s discounts during the holiday and post-holiday periods. Analysts had forecast $1.25 billion in revenue, according to Thomson Financial.

The apparel retailer had a pretty volatile 2007, as the company had to face continued fears over a possible recession. The slumping housing market and credit crises brought a slowdown in consumer spending whose effects are reflected in the company’s earnings.

However, Abercrombie showed an improved performance from 2006 and posted a full-year profit of $475.7 million, or $5.20 per share, up from $422.2 million, or $4.59 per share, the previous year. Sales also gained 13% to $3.75 billion, up from $3.32 billion a year ago.

Looking ahead, the retailers plans to boost its earnings this year by adding 110 new stores in North America and four in Britain. Abercrombie also forecast a profit in the range of $1.61 and $1.65 a share for the first half of 2008.

Eliza Popescu is a financial writer for the on the web investment advisory service Investor’s Observer.

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