1-800-Flowers.com shares surge on report of higher revenue, wider loss

1-800-Flowers.com Inc., a Carle Place-based online florist and gift retailer, on Thursday reported that strong sales in its 1-800-Flowers and BloomNet businesses helped push revenue up nearly 8 percent in the fiscal first quarter, though its loss widened.

The company's shares surged 31 percent to close at $13.70.  The shares are up about 13 percent in the last year.

The company reported revenue of $169.5 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30. The net loss was $17.27 million, up more than 30 percent from the year-earlier period. The company said the increased loss came, in part, because of a reduced tax benefit and "certain shipments" within its gourmet foods and gift baskets segments.

The revenue "results reflect the continuation of several positive trends, particularly the further expansion of the 1-800-Flowers brand’s leadership position in the consumer floral space and the significant order volume growth in our BloomNet business," Chris McCann, chief executive of 1-800-Flowers, said in an earnings statement. 

The company said its gourmet foods and gift baskets businesses were flat.