US-based comfort footwear marketer R.G. Barry Corporation has posted higher sales for its third quarter ended March 31.

Net sales for the period were $19.2 million, approximately 12% higher than the $17.2 million reported in the comparable period in 2006. Net earnings were $208,000 compared with a net loss of $111,000 in the prior-year period.

For the nine months ended March 31, net sales were $97.6 million, up approximately 9.1% from $89.4 million. Net earnings totalled $26.8 million, including a net benefit of approximately $13 million from the reversal of its deferred tax asset valuation allowance and from an $878,000 gain on the sale of land adjacent to the corporate headquarters. Net earnings were $9 million in the prior-year period.

President and CEO, Greg Tunney, said: "We now believe that full-year net sales will increase by approximately 8% versus the $105.5 million reported in fiscal 2005.” He added that the company expects net income to increase by approximately 38%.