Limited Brands Profit Falls Less Than 1%

Limited Brands Inc., the No. 2 U.S. clothing retailer, said first-quarter earnings fell less than 1% from a year earlier, when it had a gain from selling a stake in a credit card issuer.

Net income dropped to $96.6 million, or 19 cents a share, from $97.5 million, or 19 cents, a year earlier, the Columbus, Ohio-based company said. Sales rose 7.4% to $1.98 billion.

Limited shares fell 59 cents to $19.29 on the NYSE.