In a challenging retail landscape, Gap Inc. faced yet another quarter of declining sales across its portfolio of brands. However, amid the gloom, there was a glimmer of hope as Old Navy, one of Gap Inc.’s divisions, showed signs of a turnaround.

Gap Inc. reported its third-quarter results, revealing a 7% decrease in overall revenue compared to the same period last year, with total revenue reaching $3.8 billion. While this decline was a cause for concern, it exceeded analysts’ estimates, which had projected revenue at $3.6 billion. The company also surprised with adjusted earnings per share at 59 cents, comfortably surpassing the anticipated 19 cents per share. This positive performance led to a 12% surge in Gap Inc.’s shares during after-hours trading.

Digging deeper into the numbers, store sales across all Gap Inc. brands experienced a 6% drop during the quarter, while online sales slumped by 8% compared to the previous year.

Analyzing the performance of individual brands within the Gap Inc. portfolio, the flagship Gap stores saw a significant decline of 15% in sales year-over-year. Excluding the impact of Gap China’s sale and the closure of Yeezy Gap, net sales for Gap were down by 6% from the previous year. Interestingly, women’s and baby products emerged as the top categories for customer spending during the last quarter.

Elsewhere, Banana Republic reported a troubling 11% decrease in net sales compared to the previous year, while Athleta, another Gap Inc. brand, experienced an even steeper decline of 18% year-over-year.

However, in the midst of these challenges, Old Navy, known for its lower-priced offerings, showed resilience. The division reported a modest 1% decrease in sales for the quarter compared to the previous year. Additionally, Old Navy’s stores open for at least a year saw a 1% increase in sales, driven mainly by purchases of women’s, baby, and kids clothing.

This quarter marked the start of Gap Inc.’s journey under the leadership of its new CEO, Richard Dickson. Dickson, previously the president and chief operating officer of Mattel, took the reins of Gap Inc. on August 22.

Richard Dickson is no stranger to turning around iconic brands. He played a pivotal role in reinventing Mattel’s legendary Barbie franchise, which is currently enjoying a phenomenal year with record-breaking box-office sales for the “Barbie” movie. Notably, “Barbie” was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, which is owned by CNN’s parent company.

Gap Inc. now hopes that Dickson can replicate his success with Gap, a brand that has struggled to attract shoppers, particularly younger consumers, with its merchandise across its four divisions. It continues to grapple with a prolonged sales slump, exacerbated by a decline in spending, especially among budget-conscious households, in the wake of economic uncertainties.

Neil Saunders, a retail analyst and managing director at GlobalData Retail, acknowledges the challenges ahead. “Gap has stagnated for years, so it would be unfair to expect a new CEO to put the company back on track overnight,” he states. “Richard Dickson has definitely started to change the narrative at Gap and seems to have come in with a clear plan to reinvigorate the business. However, these are early days, and the impact on the shop floor remains muted. It will take time for the changes to filter through and even longer for that to impact consumer perception and buying behavior.”

Gap Inc. faces significant hurdles as it strives to reverse its sales decline and regain its appeal among consumers, particularly the younger demographic. The third-quarter results, while offering some positive surprises, highlight the need for sustained efforts and innovative strategies under the guidance of CEO Richard Dickson.