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Urban Outfitters Reports Q3 Earnings Jump 31 Percent

PHILADELPHIA, Nov 8, 2007 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- Urban Outfitters, Inc. (Nasdaq:URBN), a leading lifestyle consumer products company operating under the Anthropologie, Free People and Urban Outfitters brands, today announced record earnings of $45.4 million and $106.6 million for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2007, respectively. Earnings per diluted share were $0.27 for the quarter and $0.63 for the nine months.

As stated in the Company's previous sales release on November 6, 2007, net sales jumped during the quarter by 23% to $379.3 million. Total company comparable store sales grew by 8% driven by increases of 17% and 16% at Anthropologie and Free People stores, respectively. Urban Outfitters comparable store sales increased slightly during the quarter. Direct-to-consumer sales increased 30% and Free People Wholesale sales rose 34% for the quarter.

"All of our Brands' positive 'comp' store sales trends were clearly reflected in our earnings performance," stated Glen T. Senk, Chief Executive Officer. "We saw improvements in both merchandise margin and selling, general and administrative expenses during the quarter and these trends validate our optimism heading into the holiday season," concluded Mr. Senk.

Net sales for the periods were as follows:


                          Three months ended       Nine months ended
                               October 31,             October 31,
                        ----------------------  ----------------------
                           2007        2006        2007        2006
                        ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
                            (in thousands)          (in thousands)
 Urban Outfitters
  store sales           $  160,864  $  143,510  $  431,703  $  386,232
 Anthropologie store
  sales                    139,980     106,093     396,137     313,761
 Direct-to-consumer
  sales                     46,777      36,070     132,822     101,074
 Free People sales          31,699      22,682      81,651      62,854
                        ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
   Total net sales      $  379,320  $  308,355  $1,042,313  $  863,921
                        ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

For the three and nine months ended October 31, 2007, gross profit margins increased by 128 basis points and 68 basis points, respectively, versus the prior year's comparable periods. The increase for both periods was primarily due to the combination of a lower rate of merchandise markdowns and leveraging of store occupancy expenses.

During the quarter, total company comparable store sales grew by 8%, while ending comparable store inventories rose by 6%. Total company inventories grew by $33.1 million or 18% on a year-over-year basis. The acquisition of inventory to stock new retail stores was the primary factor for this increase.

For the three months ended October 31, 2007, selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A"), expressed as a percentage of net sales, decreased by 15 basis points, versus the same quarter last year. For the nine months ended October 31, 2007, SG&A increased by 21 basis points as costs related to non-comparable expenses to operate our new home office facility as well as certain non-recurring legal fees more than offset favorable rate reductions from controlling store and store support related expenses.

During the quarter the company finalized its certification of certain tax credits received for work performed in conjunction with its home offices resulting in an additional one-time tax benefit of approximately $2.3 million applied to its tax expense (or $0.01 impact on diluted earnings per share). Excluding the one-time federal tax incentive benefits received thus far this fiscal year, the Company's annual effective tax rate would have been approximately 34%. In the prior year's comparable quarter the company received a $4.4 million one-time tax benefit (or $0.03 impact on diluted earnings per share) for work performed in conjunction with its home office.

Thus far during the fiscal year, the company has opened 23 new stores and expects to open a total of 38 new stores by the end of the fiscal year.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. is an innovative specialty retailer and wholesaler which offers a variety of lifestyle merchandise to highly defined customer niches through 117 Urban Retail stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe, two Urban Outfitters web sites and an Urban catalog; 100 Anthropologie Retail stores; an Anthropologie web site and a catalog, and Free People, the Company's wholesale division, which sells its product to approximately 1,500 specialty stores, department stores and catalogs, as well as through 13 Free People stores, a web site and a catalog.

A conference call will be held today to discuss third quarter results and will be web cast at 11:00 a.m. EST on: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=115825&p=irol-eventDetails&EventId=1669251

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        Nine Months Ended
                    ------------------------  ------------------------
                            October 31,              October 31,
                    ------------------------  ------------------------
                       2007         2006         2007         2006
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------

 Net sales          $   379,320  $   308,355  $ 1,042,313  $   863,921
 Cost of sales,
  including certain
  buying,
  distribution
  and occupancy
  costs                 229,382      190,407      649,733      544,453
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Gross profit         149,938      117,948      392,580      319,468
 Selling, general
  and administrative
  expenses               88,611       72,484      247,966      203,744
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Income from
    operations           61,327       45,464      144,614      115,724
 Other income, net        2,151        1,365        5,991        4,527
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Income before
    income taxes         63,478       46,829      150,605      120,251
 Income tax expense      18,096       12,315       43,989       39,776
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Net income       $    45,382  $    34,514  $   106,616  $    80,475
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========

 Net income per
  common share:
   Basic            $      0.27  $      0.21  $      0.65  $      0.49
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
   Diluted          $      0.27  $      0.21  $      0.63  $      0.48
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========

 Weighted average
  common shares
  and common share
  equivalents
  outstanding:
   Basic            165,430,768  164,707,980  165,195,871  164,760,387
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
   Diluted          169,933,513  168,306,967  169,486,304  168,675,078
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========

 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                    60.5%        61.8%        62.3%        63.0%
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Gross profit            39.5%        38.2%        37.7%        37.0%
 Selling, general
  and administrative
  expenses                 23.3%        23.5%        23.8%        23.6%
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Income from
    operations             16.2%        14.7%        13.9%        13.4%
 Other income, net          0.6%         0.5%         0.6%         0.5%
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Income before
    income taxes           16.8%        15.2%        14.5%        13.9%
 Income tax expense         4.8%         4.0%         4.2%         4.6%
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Net income              12.0%        11.2%        10.3%         9.3%
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========


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


                               October 31,    January 31,  October 31,
                                   2007          2007          2006
                                ----------    ----------    ----------
                               (unaudited)    (audited)    (unaudited)

               Assets
 Current assets:
   Cash and cash equivalents    $   36,393    $   27,267    $   30,544
   Marketable securities           154,410       132,011        96,048
   Accounts receivable, net
    of allowance for doubtful
    accounts of $1,699, $849
    and $1,238, respectively        24,879        20,871        19,553
   Inventories                     212,696       154,387       179,592
   Prepaid expenses, deferred
    taxes and other current
    assets                          38,259        31,869        33,197
                                ----------    ----------    ----------
 Total current assets              466,637       366,405       358,934

 Property and equipment, net       489,434       445,698       426,430
 Marketable securities              78,510        62,322        58,636
 Deferred income taxes and
  other assets                      31,621        24,826        21,204
                                ----------    ----------    ----------
                                $1,066,202    $  899,251    $  865,204
                                ==========    ==========    ==========

     Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
 Current liabilities:
   Accounts payable             $   78,845    $   57,934    $   61,988
   Accrued expenses, accrued
    compensation and other
    current liabilities             81,303        77,384        88,015
                                ----------    ----------    ----------
 Total current liabilities         160,148       135,318       150,003

 Deferred rent and other
  liabilities                      110,410        88,650        80,626
                                ----------    ----------    ----------
 Total liabilities                 270,558       223,968       230,629
                                ----------    ----------    ----------

 Shareholders' equity:
   Preferred shares; $.0001
    par value, 10,000,000
    shares authorized, none
    issued                              --            --            --
   Common shares; $.0001 par
    value, 200,000,000 shares
    authorized, 165,936,965
    164,987,463 and
    164,663,037 issued and
    outstanding, respectively           17            17            17
   Additional paid-in capital      139,637       128,586       124,970
   Retained earnings               648,360       542,396       506,665
   Accumulated other
    comprehensive income             7,630         4,284         2,923
                                ----------    ----------    ----------
 Total shareholders' equity        795,644       675,283       634,575
                                ----------    ----------    ----------
                                $1,066,202    $  899,251    $  865,204
                                ==========    ==========    ==========


                        URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
            Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
                            (in thousands)
                              (unaudited)

                                                   Nine Months Ended
                                                       October 31,
                                                  --------------------
                                                    2007        2006
                                                  --------    --------
 Cash flows from operating activities:
   Net income                                     $106,616    $ 80,475
   Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
    cash provided by operating activities:
     Depreciation and amortization                  51,291      39,239
     Excess tax benefits from stock-based
      compensation                                  (4,512)     (4,680)
     Stock-based compensation expense                2,541       2,515
     Loss on disposition of property and
      equipment, net                                   441       1,236
     Changes in assets and liabilities:
       Increase in receivables                      (3,879)     (5,178)
       Increase in inventories                     (57,750)    (38,694)
       (Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses
        and other assets                           (13,011)      4,720
       Increase in payables, accrued expenses
        and other liabilities                       41,881      30,685
                                                  --------    --------
   Net cash provided by operating activities       123,618     110,318
                                                  --------    --------

 Cash flows from investing activities:
     Cash paid for property and equipment          (84,249)   (168,243)
     Cash paid for marketable securities          (144,311)   (114,913)
     Sales and maturities of marketable
      securities                                   105,074     165,724
                                                  --------    --------
   Net cash used in investing activities          (123,486)   (117,432)
                                                  --------    --------

 Cash flows from financing activities:
     Exercise of stock options                       3,997       4,431
     Excess tax benefits from stock-based
      compensation                                   4,512       4,680
     Share repurchases                                  --     (20,801)
                                                  --------    --------
   Net cash provided by (used in) financing
    activities                                       8,509     (11,690)
                                                  --------    --------

 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and
  cash equivalents                                     485        (564)
                                                  --------    --------

 Increase in cash and cash equivalents               9,126     (19,368)

 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of
  period                                            27,267      49,912
                                                  --------    --------
 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period       $ 36,393    $ 30,544
                                                  ========    ========

This news release was distributed by PrimeNewswire, www.primenewswire.com

SOURCE: Urban Outfitters, Inc.
Urban Outfitters, Inc.
John Kyees, Chief Financial Officer
(215) 454-5500