COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Limited Brands (NYSE: LTD) today reported a comparable store sales increase of 2% for the five weeks ended April 1, 2006 compared to the five weeks ended April 2, 2005. Net sales increased 3% to $788.2 million compared to net sales of $766.1 million last year.

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The Company reported a comparable store sales increase of 3% for the nine weeks ended April 1, 2006. Net sales increased 3% to $1.424 billion compared to net sales of $1.377 billion last year.

To hear further commentary provided on Limited Brands' prerecorded March sales message, call 1-800-337-6551, followed by the passcode LTD (583), or log onto http://www.Limitedbrands.com for an audio replay.

ABOUT LIMITED BRANDS:

Limited Brands, through Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, C.O. Bigelow, Express, Limited Stores, White Barn Candle Co. and Henri Bendel, presently operates 3,565 specialty stores. Victoria's Secret products are also available through the catalogue and http://www.VictoriasSecret.com. Bath & Body Works products are also available at http://www.BathandBodyWorks.com.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995: The Company cautions that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained in this press release or the March sales call or made by the Company or management of the Company involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various important factors, many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, the Company's future performance and financial results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any such forward- looking statements. Words such as "estimate," "project," "plan," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "planned," "potential" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, in some cases have affected and in the future could affect the Company's financial performance and actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward- looking statements included in this press release or the March sales call or otherwise made by the Company or management: risks associated with general economic conditions, consumer confidence and consumer spending patterns; the potential impact of national and international security concerns on the retail environment, including any possible military action, terrorist attacks or other hostilities; risks associated with the seasonality of the Company's business; risks associated with changes in weather patterns; risks associated with the highly competitive nature of the retail industry generally and the segments in which we operate particularly; risks related to consumer acceptance of the Company's products and the Company's ability to keep up with fashion trends, develop new merchandise, launch new product lines successfully, offer products at the appropriate price points and enhance the Company's brand image; risks associated with the Company's ability to retain, hire and train key personnel and management; risks associated with the possible inability of the Company's manufacturers to deliver products in a timely manner or meet quality standards; risks associated with the Company's reliance on foreign sources of production, including risks related to the disruption of imports by labor disputes, risks related to political instability, risks associated with legal and regulatory matters, risks related to duties, taxes, other charges and quotas on imports, risks related to local business practices and political issues and risks related to currency and exchange rates; risks associated with the possible lack of availability of suitable store locations on appropriate terms; risks associated with increases in the costs of mailing, paper and printing; risks associated with our ability to service any debt we incur from time to time and as well as the requirements the agreements related to such debt impose upon us; risks associated with the Company's reliance on information technology, including risks related to the implementation of new information technology systems and risks related to utilizing third parties to provide information technology services; risks associated with natural disasters and risks associated with rising energy costs. The Company is not under any obligation and does not intend to make publicly available any update or other revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the March sales call to reflect circumstances existing after the date of this report or to reflect the occurrence of future events even if experience or future events make it clear that any expected results expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements will not be realized.

                                LIMITED BRANDS
                                  MARCH 2006

    Comparable Store Sales Increase (Decrease):

                                                  Year-to-  Year-to-
                                March     March     Date      Date
                                2006      2005      2006      2005

    Victoria's Secret Stores      7%        1%        6%        1%
    Bath & Body Works             1%       10%        3%        7%
    Express                      (2%)     (27%)       2%      (24%)
    Limited Stores              (11%)     (15%)     (10%)      (9%)
    Total Apparel                (4%)     (24%)      (1%)     (21%)
    Limited Brands                2%       (7%)       3%       (6%)


    Total Stores:

                            Stores                       Express      Stores
                           Operating    Year-to-date   Integration   Operating
                          at 1/28/06   Opened  Closed   (see note)   at 4/1/06

    Victoria's Secret Stores    998      2      (3)        -           997
    Bath & Body Works         1,555      3      (4)        -         1,554
    Express Women               327      -      (7)       (6)          314
    Express Men's               113      -     (12)        -           101
    Express Dual Gender         303      -       -         6           309
      Total Express             743      -     (19)        -           724
    Limited Stores              292      -      (4)        -           288
      Total Apparel           1,035      -     (23)        -         1,012
    Henri Bendel                  2      -       -         -             2
    Total Limited Brands      3,590      5     (30)        -         3,565

Note: "Express Integration" represents conversion of Express Women and/or Express Men stores to Express dual gender stores.

SOURCE Limited Brands
04/06/2006

CONTACT: Tom Katzenmeyer, Senior Vice President, Investor, Media and Community Relations of Limited Brands, +1-614-415-7076

5370 04/06/2006 07:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com