Foothill Ranch-based mall retailer Wet Seal Inc. reported its second straight month of higher sales in March.
Wet Seal, which runs 502 stores selling clothes for teen girls and young woman, said sales at stores open at least a year rose 6.3% last month from a year earlier.
Analysts were expecting a 5.4% rise in same-store sales.
The gain follows a 4.7% rise in February, which was the first for Wet Seal in two years.
Sales last month were helped by an earlier Easter than last year, according to Wet Seal.
The company operates Wet Seal stores for teen girls and Arden B. stores for young women.
Sales at Wet Seal stores were up 6% last month, while they rose 7.8% at Arden B.
Total sales for the month were up 9% to $56 million.
