Jewelry retailer Zale Corp., Dallas, said Thursday that sales at stores open at least a year fell 0.6% in the fiscal second quarter, missing company predictions.

Zale had forecast that same-store sales would range from flat to a 1% increase in the November-January period.

Total sales – which include stores that opened or closed in the past 12 months – rose 2% to $972 million.

For the fiscal year to date, same-store sales fell 0.7%, while total sales rose 2% to $1.4 billion.

Zale Corp. is North America’s largest specialty retailer of fine jewelry operating approximately 2,350 retail locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as online. Zale Corporation’s brands include Zales Jewelers, Zales Fine Jewelry Outlet, Gordon’s Jewelers, Bailey Banks & Biddle Fine Jewelers, Peoples Jewellers, Mappins Jewellers and Piercing Pagoda. Through its ZLC Direct organization, Zale also operates online at www.zales.com and www.baileybanksandbiddle.com.

JCK