Gap Q2 earnings up

“External conditions aside, we continue to deliver improved earnings with healthy margins and I am pleased with our second quarter results,” said Glenn Murphy, chairman and chief executive officer of Gap Inc. “While we continue to pursue our 2008 financial strategy, we are very focused on bringing more customers into our stores.” Second quarter net sales were $3.50 billion, compared with $3.69 billion for the second quarter of last year. The company’s second quarter comparable store sales decreased 10 percent, compared with a decrease of 5 percent in the second quarter of the prior year. The company’s online sales for the second quarter increased 11 percent to $191 million, compared with $172 million for the second quarter of last year.

Earlier this month Gap announced it was closing its European operations and consolidating its global design team in New York. Over 80 people reportedly were made redundant, with many being out of a job from September.