Talbots delays fourth-quarter earnings until April

Talbots Clothing Spring 2009

CHICAGO, March 20 (Reuters) - Talbots Inc (TLB.N), which had planned to report fourth-quarter results next week, is delaying the report until mid-April as it works on completing its year-end audit.

On Tuesday March 17, the women's clothing retailer said it would hold its fourth-quarter and full-year 2008 earnings conference call on March 24. But on Friday March 20, it rescheduled and said it would now release the information the week of April 13, and no later than April 16, when it must file its annual report.

The retailer, which operates its namesake stores and the J. Jill women's clothing chain, has been closing some businesses, shaking up its management team, revamping its classic styles and slashing jobs as it tries to cut costs. Earlier this month, Talbots suspended its quarterly cash dividend and froze its pension plans to boost liquidity.

Shares of Talbots closed at $2.94 on Thursday.

(Reporting by Jessica Wohl, editing by Dave Zimmerman)