LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.--Because of increased income-tax obligations, National Vision's net income slipped in its first quarter ended April 2.

The chain's income in Q1 was $2.8 million, vs. $3.1 million in last year's first quarter. The company said it had an increase of $1.7 million this year in its provision for income tax.

Net revenues in Q1 rose 5 percent to $60.6 million. National Vision's comparable-store sales rose 2 percent for the period.

Reade Fahs, National Vision's president and chief executive officer, noted that the chain has had positive comp-store sales in 10 out of the past 11 quarters.

As of April 2, the company operated 406 vision centers. "At the end of the first quarter of 2005, we were operating 45 fewer retail optical locations than we were operating a year earlier," Fahs said. "In light of that reduction in store count and the significant increase in our effective tax rate, our net income comparisons are quite remarkable."