Urban Outfitters Rises on Strength of Anthropologie Brand

  • Free People also helps offset weakness at namesake brand
  • Urban Outfitters is using markdowns to clear inventory

An Anthropologie store in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Photographer: Bryan Tarnowski/Bloomberg

Apparel retailer Urban Outfitters Inc. reported first-quarter sales that beat Wall Street’s estimates, with the company’s Anthropologie and Free People brands driving momentum.

Comparable sales — a key gauge of retail performance — rose 4.6% in the company’s retail segment, outpacing the average estimate from analysts. Revenue rose 7.8% from a year earlier to $1.2 billion, in line with estimates.