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Urban Outfitters' Earnings Surge 79 Percent in Q2

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 14, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Urban Outfitters, Inc. (Nasdaq:URBN), a leading lifestyle specialty retail company operating under the Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain and Urban Outfitters brands today announced earnings of $57 million and $100 million for the three and six months ended July 31, 2008, respectively. Earnings per diluted share were $0.33 for the three and $0.58 for the six months.



 Key elements of the results are as follows:
 * net sales jumped 30%;
 * comparable store net sales rose 13%;
    -- 7%, 10% and 19% at Anthropologie, Free People and Urban
       Outfitters, stores, respectively;
 * Direct-to-consumer net sales rose 42% and Free People Wholesale
   net sales increased 14%;
 * gross profit improved 43%;
 * operating margin leaped 75%; and
 * earnings surged 79%.

"All of our brands and channels produced exceptional results during the period," said Glen T. Senk, Chief Executive Officer. "The Company executed superbly throughout the quarter, and we believe we are appropriately positioned for the second half of the year," finished Mr. Senk.



 Net sales for the three and six month periods were as follows:

                                Three Months ended   Six months ended
                                     July 31,            July 31,
                                  2008      2007      2008      2007
                                  ----      ----      ----      ----
                                  (in thousands)      (in thousands)
 Urban Outfitters stores        $189,812  $140,931  $349,602  $270,839
 Anthropologie stores            165,615   137,558   311,211   256,157
 Free People stores                7,759     3,300    13,618     5,990
 Terrain garden center             2,608        --     3,225        --
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
  Net store sales                365,794   281,789   677,656   532,986
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Direct-to-consumer               60,498    42,538   118,746    86,045
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
  Retail segment net sales       426,292   324,327   796,402   619,031
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Wholesale                        28,003    24,122    52,185    43,962
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
  Total net sales               $454,295  $348,449  $848,587  $662,993
                                ========  ========  ========  ========

For the three and six months ended July 31, 2008, gross profit margins increased by 373 and 408 basis points, respectively, versus the prior year's comparable periods. Improvements in initial merchandise cost, reductions in markdowns and leverage of store occupancy costs helped achieve this growth for both periods.

As of July 31, 2008, inventories grew by $25.6 million or 14%, on a year-over-year basis, driven by the acquisition of inventory to stock new retail stores. Total comparable store inventories increased by 3%.

For the three and six months ended July 31, 2008, selling, general and administrative expenses, expressed as a percentage of net sales, decreased by 95 and 55 basis points, respectively, versus the comparable periods last year. This rate improvement was led by the leverage of direct store related costs and was driven by the increase in comparable store net sales.

The Company's second quarter tax rate improved to 33.2% from 35.7% in the first quarter of this fiscal year. Management estimates an annual effective tax rate of 35% for the full fiscal year. The prior year's unusually low annual effective tax rate was primarily impacted by the receipt of one-time federal tax incentives for work performed on the development of our new home offices.

During the six months ended July 31, 2008, the Company has opened a total of 24 new stores including: 10 Urban Outfitters stores, 7 Anthropologie stores, 6 Free People stores and 1 Terrain garden center. The Company expects to open 45 new stores during the full fiscal year.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. is an innovative specialty retail company which offers a variety of lifestyle merchandise to highly defined customer niches through 132 Urban Outfitters stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe, two web sites and a catalog; 115 Anthropologie stores, a web site, catalog and Leifsdottir, Anthropologie's recently launched wholesale concept; Free People Wholesale, which sells its product to approximately 1,700 specialty stores and select department stores; 21 Free People stores, a web-site and catalog; and 1 Terrain garden center as of July 31, 2008.

A conference call will be held today to discuss first quarter results and will be web cast at 11:00 a.m. EDT on: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c=115825&eventID=1908465

This news release is being made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain matters contained in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Any one, or all, of the following factors could cause actual financial results to differ materially from those financial results mentioned in the forward-looking statements: the difficulty in predicting and responding to shifts in fashion trends, changes in the level of competitive pricing and promotional activity and other industry factors, overall economic and market conditions and the resultant impact on consumer spending patterns, including any effects of terrorist acts or war, availability of suitable retail space for expansion, timing of store openings, seasonal fluctuations in gross sales, the departure of one or more key senior managers, import risks, including potential disruptions and changes in duties, tariffs and quotas and other risks identified in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that actual results may differ materially from any projected results expressed or implied therein.



                       URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
             Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
           (in thousands, except share and per share data)
                             (unaudited)

                       Three Months Ended         Six Months Ended
                       ------------------         ----------------
                            July 31,                  July 31,
                            --------                  --------
                       2008          2007        2008          2007
                       ----          ----        ----          ----

 Net sales          $   454,295  $   348,449  $   848,587  $   662,993
 Cost of sales,
  including certain
  buying,
  distribution and
  occupancy costs       267,785      218,422      503,397      420,351
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
  Gross profit          186,510      130,027      345,190      242,642
 Selling, general
  and administrative
  expenses              103,590       82,756      199,328      159,355
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Income from
    operations           82,920       47,271      145,862       83,287
 Other income, net        2,445        2,037        5,665        3,840
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Income before
    income taxes         85,365       49,308      151,527       87,127
 Income tax expense      28,377       17,442       51,982       25,894
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Net income       $    56,988  $    31,866  $    99,545  $    61,233
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========

 Net income per
  common share:
  Basic             $      0.34  $      0.19  $      0.60  $      0.37
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
  Diluted           $      0.33  $      0.19  $      0.58  $      0.36
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========

 Weighted average
  common shares and
  common share
  equivalents
  outstanding:
  Basic             166,698,963  165,315,656  166,412,217  165,076,476
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
  Diluted           171,687,530  169,710,489  171,148,661  169,260,752
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========

 AS A PERCENT OF NET
  SALES
 Net sales                100.0%       100.0%       100.0%       100.0%
 Cost of sales,
  including certain
  buying,
  distribution and
  occupancy costs          58.9%        62.7%        59.3%        63.4%
                          ------       ------       ------       ------
   Gross profit            41.1%        37.3%        40.7%        36.6%
 Selling, general
  and administrative
  expenses                 22.8%        23.7%        23.5%        24.0%
                          ------       ------       ------       ------
   Income from
    operations             18.3%        13.6%        17.2%        12.6%
 Other income
  (expense), net            0.5%         0.6%         0.7%         0.6%
                          ------       ------       ------       ------
   Income before
    income taxes           18.8%        14.2%        17.9%        13.2%
 Income tax expense         6.2%         5.0%         6.1%         4.0%
                          ------       ------       ------       ------
   Net income              12.6%         9.2%        11.8%         9.2%
                          ======       ======       ======       ======


                       URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
                Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
           (in thousands, except share and per share data)
                             (unaudited)

                                     July 31,   January 31,  July 31,
                                       2008        2008        2007
                                    ----------  ----------  ----------
               Assets
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents         $  160,391  $  105,271  $   42,387
  Marketable securities                 76,905      80,127     130,748
  Accounts receivable, net of
   allowance for doubtful accounts
   of $2,395, $972 and $1,562,
   respectively                         32,468      26,365      24,516
  Inventories                          211,205     171,925     185,619
  Prepaid expenses, deferred taxes
   and other current assets             47,762      49,922      28,981
                                    ----------  ----------  ----------
 Total current assets                  528,731     433,610     412,251

 Property and equipment, net           507,399     488,889     468,972
 Marketable securities                 191,129     188,252      68,357
 Deferred income taxes and other
  assets                                41,130      32,040      31,426
                                    ----------  ----------  ----------
 Total Assets                       $1,268,389  $1,142,791  $  981,006
                                    ==========  ==========  ==========

          Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
 Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable                  $   88,521  $   74,020  $   61,058
  Accrued expenses, accrued
   compensation and other current
   liabilities                          83,478      93,358      72,047
                                    ----------  ----------  ----------
 Total current liabilities             171,999     167,378     133,105

 Deferred rent and other liabilities   128,252     121,982     102,628
                                    ----------  ----------  ----------
 Total Liabilities                     300,251     289,360     235,733
                                    ----------  ----------  ----------

 Shareholders' equity:
  Preferred shares; $.0001 par
   value, 10,000,000 shares
   authorized, none issued                  --          --          --
  Common shares; $.0001 par value,
   200,000,000 shares authorized,
   167,164,738, 166,104,615 and
   165,810,665 issued and
   outstanding, respectively                17          17          17
  Additional paid-in capital           160,615     144,204     136,551
  Retained earnings                    801,520     701,975     602,977
  Accumulated other comprehensive
   income                                5,986       7,235       5,728
                                    ----------  ----------  ----------
 Total Shareholders' Equity            968,138     853,431     745,273
                                    ----------  ----------  ----------
 Total Liabilities and
  Shareholders' Equity              $1,268,389  $1,142,791  $  981,006
                                    ==========  ==========  ==========
CONTACT: Urban Outfitters, Inc.
John Kyees, Chief Financial Officer
(215) 454-5500