Some Good News

• Gift merchant Red Envelope’s Father’s Day catalog reportedly contributed to a 100-percent increase in sales compared to last year.

• The J. Jill Group, a multichannel merchant of women’s apparel, accessories and footwear, recently underwent a three-for-two stock split and expects sales to increase 15 to 20 percent for the balance of fiscal 2002. What’s more, as the rest of the economy floundered in the recession, J. Jill reported record results for the quarter ending March 30: Net sales increased 15.8 percent to $73.4 million.