US footwear and accessories retailer Shoe Carnival, Inc. has reported lower sales for the first quarter ended May 5. Sales fell 1.7% to $165.7 million from $168.5 million for the same period in the prior year. Comparable store sales decreased 3.7% compared with the same thirteen-week period in 2006.

Commenting on the quarterly results, Mark Lemond, president and chief executive officer, stated, "While our Easter season sales were below our original expectations, our merchants have done a commendable job controlling inventory. As we entered the second quarter, inventories on a per store basis were approximately flat with last year."

Shoe Carnival runs a chain of 278 footwear stores located in the Midwest, South and Southeast USA.