Stein Mart F3Q07 (Qtr End 11/3/07) Earnings Call Transcript

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2007-11-29 12:53:58.0

Tags: Stein Mart Inc.

Question-and-Answer Session

Operator

(Operator Instructions) Your first question is coming from Shaun Smolarz with Sidoti & Company.

Shaun Smolarz - Sidoti & Company

My first question is I would appreciate some additional transparency on the circumstances surrounding Linda’s appointment as CEO. How did the board decide to immediately announce Mike’s replacement? And also, were other candidates considered?

Linda M. Farthing

Jay, would you mind?

Jay Stein

I’ll be happy to. Let me say this; we have been with Linda in excess of 10 years, so we knew her capability. She has chaired the major committees on the board. She is a very action oriented person. She thinks very clearly and we found her to be on the board itself a clear leader.

Now, we announced it so immediately because we started obviously before -- we started talking to her some time ago and we worked out the details of it so that she could -- there would be as immediate continuity as possible after Mike left.

Shaun Smolarz - Sidoti & Company

Okay. That was very helpful. I appreciate that.

Jay Stein

It was done in a very planned, orderly manner, I can assure you. I called Linda and it took a while to in fact convince her that she needed one more challenge in her life and she loves this company and loves it a great deal. And as a result, accepted it.

Linda M. Farthing

Thank you, Jay.

Shaun Smolarz - Sidoti & Company

My next question is as you look out into 2008, do you think 2008 in terms of results will be closer to this year’s 2007 or 2006?

Linda M. Farthing

Obviously we are looking at 2008 from -- I mean, we’re looking at all aspects of our business and as I stated, what we are looking to do is to bring the company back to the kind of productivity levels and results that we have seen historically, so we are looking at all aspects to make that happen.

Shaun Smolarz - Sidoti & Company

And do you think that your results could significantly improve in 2008, absent a macroeconomic improvement in the Southeast, and thus improving the results just based on internal changes that you hope to see?

Linda M. Farthing

Jim, would you like to?

James G. Delfs

I think right now we are focusing primarily on managing our way through the fourth quarter and as Linda said, we are focusing on all aspects of the business right now. She’s looking with a fresh set of eyes at all aspects and we are putting together plans for 2008 but at this point, we’re not ready to share any of the details of those plans.

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