Outdoor clothing multinational Kathmandu has revealed a 24.1 per cent decline in retail sales so far this financial year as coronavirus restrictions lingered in Australia and overseas. Kathmandu on Wednesday said its retail business, which includes online, had been hit hard by the virus in Australia, Europe and North America for the 16 weeks to November 15. About 60 stores in Melbourne were closed for most of the first quarter. In Auckland, 14 stores were closed for more than two weeks. Kathmandu last year bought surfwear business Rip Curl, which helped first-quarter sales rise 72 per cent on the 2019 equivalent quarter. The 24.1 per cent sales drop for the 16 weeks includes Rip Curl’s sales in the first quarter of 2019, under its previous ownership. Kathmandu stores’ sales were down 37.7 per cent, while Rip Curl sales fared better, down 1.7 per cent. Online sales gained 37 per cent and limited some losses. Chief executive Xavier Simonet said the group’s half-year result would depend on Christmas trade. Stores in Australian airports, as well as Rip Curl stores in Europe and Hawaii, continued to be affected by virus restrictions, he said. Shares on the ASX closed lower by 4.18 per cent to $1.26.