Sales & Earnings In Brief

Elizabeth Arden: Significant increases in mass market fragrance sales - with the Britney Spears franchise posting double-digit gains - boosted second quarter sales 18.8% to $410.8 mil. for the period ended Dec. 31, 2006, company reports Feb. 1. With Love...Hilary Duff, which ranked among the top three fall fragrance launches in U.S. department stores, also helped drive sales, the firm says. Elizabeth Arden skin care and color product sales rose 18% on improved promotion and global advertising, and solid international growth, particularly in Asia. The debut of Prevage anti-aging treatment, which was repositioned to beauty counters in U.S. department stores, was another contributor, Arden says. Arden reported net income of $25.9 mil. or $0.91 per diluted share, with quarterly earnings impacted by transition and integration expenses associated with the company's recent acquisitions of Rivera Concepts and Sovereign Sales....C