Ann Taylor Drops Last Name

Ann Taylor Stores Corp (New York) has dropped the “Taylor” from its name to better reflect the company’s shift to more online and outlet stores, the company announced this week.

The company, which will now go by Ann Inc., offers office wear through its namesake stores, while its LOFT chain carries more affordable, casual wear.

“One of our key priorities in 2011 is to further capitalize on the enormous potential of the e-commerce channel,” ceo Kay Krill said on a conference call with analysts.

During the fourth quarter, the retailer reported a 74 percent jump in online sales for Ann Taylor and a 77 percent increase in the LOFT online channel. Sales at LOFT stores declined 3.2 percent during that same period. The company says e-commerce accounts for nearly 12 percent of its total quarterly sales, while outlet channels contribute 17 percent.