Total sales flat but online sales up for NBTY Inc.

Customers looking for vitamins and supplements from NBTY Inc. decided to stay home last year. While 2005 total sales realized only a 3% increase over 2004, 2005 online sales bounced 33%.

Online sales for 2005 hit $56 million, compared with $42.1 million in 2004. Total company sales reached $1.7 billion, compared with 2004’s $1.65 billion. The company reached $78.1 million in earnings in 2005, down from $111.8 million in 2004. NBTY is No. 129 in the Internet Retailer Top 400 Guide to Retail Web Sites.

NBTY blames a stagnant market for nutritional supplements, a burst of negative publicity regarding Vitamin E and significant price reductions by Puritan’s Pride, one of its online venues, for its sluggish sales. Company executives say the price reduction strategy was designed to maintain its customer base while pressuring competition.

NBTY markets approximately 2,000 products under several brands, including Nature’s Bounty, Vitamin World, Puritan’s Pride, Holland & Barrett, Rexall, Sundown, MET-Rx, WorldWideSport Nutrition, American Health and others.