Wet Seal 3rd-Quarter Earnings Rise 37%

Wet Seal Inc., the Irvine-based chain of women’s clothing stores, said its third-quarter earnings rose 37% to $2.6 million from $1.9 million for the comparable period last year. Sales for the quarter ended Nov. 3 increased 37% to $30.5 million from $22.3 million.

For the nine-month period, earnings totaled $6 million, up 58% from $3.7 million in the year-earlier period. Sales increased 46% to $79 million from $54 million. Wet Seal said it opened 14 new stores during the third quarter.