Weight Watchers posted a 5.5% increase in web sales

Weight Watchers International Inc. posted a lean increase in 2009 web sales.

For the fiscal year ended Jan. 2, 2010, Weight Watchers reported:

• Web sales were $196.0 million, a 5.5% increase from $185.8 million in the prior year.
• Total sales were $1.40 billion, a 9.1% decrease from $1.54 billion.
• E-commerce represented 14.0% of sales for 2009, compared with 12.0% in 2008.
• Net income for the full year 2009 was $177.3 million, including a $36.7 million charge related to a United Kingdom tax ruling that Weight Watchers seminar leaders should have been classified as employees as opposed to self-employed, and $5.5 million in restructuring charges associated with the company’s cost savings initiatives. Net income for 2008 was $204.3 million.

Weight Watchers is No. 84 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide.

For the fourth quarter, Weight Watchers reported:

• Web sales were $47.6 million, a 10.2% increase from $43.2 million in the prior year quarter.
• Total sales were $311.3 million, a 10.1% decrease versus $346.2 million.
• The web represented 15.3% of sales, compared with 12.5% in the year-earlier quarter.
• Net income was $18.7 million, including the charge related to the U.K. self-employment tax ruling, versus $47.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2008.