Blyth 3Q Sales Fall, Cuts Full-Year Outlook

Hurt by sluggish sales, Blyth (NYSE:BTH) slipped about 11% Friday after lowering its fiscal 2011 guidance amid tepid third-quarter earnings. Revenue for the Greenwich, Conn-based company was $215.5 million, down 3% from $221.6 million a year ago, though still beating the Street’s view of $195.7 million. Lower sales were led by softer volume in PartyLite, its catalog and Internet units, and food service, offset by gains in its ViSalus Sciences and Midwest-CBK businesses. Robert B. Goergen, Blyth's chief executive, said sales growth fell below management's expectations, attributing the losses to