Among apparel retailers, Chico''s FAS Inc. (
CHS: chart) said that comparable sales rose 5.2% in March compared with the year-ago period. Total sales for the five-week period ended April 7 increased 22%. American Eagle Outfitters (
AEOS: chart) said same-store sales jumped 20% in March, well ahead of the 11.1% expected by analysts. Abercrombie & Fitch (
ANF: chart) posted 7% growth in March same-store sales, while Pacific Sunwear (
PSUN: chart) said its March comparable sales rose 14%.
J.C. Penney Co. (
JCP: chart) reported 10.6% increase in March same-store sales, higher than an earlier forecast for a high-single digit increase and a 1% decrease last year. The strong results were contributed by strength in apparel categories, benefiting from an earlier Easter. Analysts had expected its same-store sales to rise 7.5%. Total company sales rose 10.7% to $1.71 billion. Nordstrom (
JWN: chart) was another retailer posting outstanding results, with same-store sales up 15% compared with the 8.2% projection. Gap (
GPS: chart) said same-store sales were higher by 6%, beating a forecast of 1.1% decline.
In the discount retailers group, Wal-Mart (
WMT: chart) said Thursday its March same-store sales rose 4%, exceeding expectations of 1.6% increase. Total sales for the five-week period rose 11.7% to $34.26 billion. The company expects April same-store sales in the U.S. to be flat to down 2%, due to the earlier Easter holiday. Sales for the combined March/April reporting period are estimated to be between 1% and 2%. Target (
TGT: chart) posted 12% increase in March same-store sales, in line with previous estimates. The retailer added April same-store sales are expected to drop 2% to 4%. Pier 1 Imports (
PIR: chart) was one of the very few retailers posting negative results. The company reported a decline in Q1 same-store sales.
Among wholesale stores, Costco Wholesale Corp. (
COST: chart) posted 6% rise in comparable-store sales, topping estimates of 4.7% increase. Total sales rose 11% to $5.94 billion.
| 2007 SAME-STORE SALES |
| Company | Ticker | January | February | March | April | May | June | July |
| Apparel Retailers |
| Abercrombie & Fitch | ANF | -6.00% | -6.00% | 7.00% | | | | |
| Aeropostale | ARO | 5.40% | 2.30% | 15.90% | | | | |
| AmericanEagle | AEOS | 17.00% | NA | 20.00% | | | | |
| AnnTaylor | ANN | -10.20% | -2.90% | 6.10% | | | | |
| Bebe | BEBE | 0.80% | -2.20% | 0.10% | | | | |
| Buckle | BKE | 7.80% | 4.50% | 10.70% | | | | |
| Cato | CTR | -7.00% | 0.00% | 7.00% | | | | |
| CharmingShoppes | CHRS | NA | NA | NA | | | | |
| Chico's | CHS | -3.50% | -4.30% | 5.20% | | | | |
| Children'sPlace, The | PLCE | 3.00% | 5.00% | 7.00% | | | | |
| Christopher & Banks | CBK | -4.00% | -13.00% | 0.00% | | | | |
| CitiTrends | CTRN | 3.20% | NA | NA | | | | |
| Claires | CLE | 3.00% | 1.00% | 8.00% | | | | |
| DebShops | DEBS | -3.80% | -2.00% | 6.50% | | | | |
| Dillards | DDS | -3.00% | -9.00% | 6.00% | | | | |
| DressBarn | DBRN | 8.00% | 0.00% | 12.00% | | | | |
| Federated Dept. | FD | 8.60% | 1.20% | 2.30% | | | | |
| Gap | GPS | 0.00% | -4.00% | 6.00% | | | | |
| Gottschalks | GOT | -1.00% | -3.60% | 6.40% | | | | |
| Guess | GES | NA | NA | NA | | | | |
| Gymboree | GYMB | 0.00% | 1.00% | 9.00% | | | | |
| Hot Topic | HOTT | -6.60% | -2.70% | 3.40% | | | | |
| J.C.Penney | JCP | 3.60% | -0.20% | 10.60% | | | | |
| Jo-AnnStores | JAS | -6.30% | NA | NA | | | | |
| Jos.A.Bank | JOSB | -4.70% | 2.80% | 1.40% | | | | |
| Kohl's | KSS | 8.70% | 4.40% | 16.80% | | | | |
| LimitedBrands | LTD | 11.00% | 3.00% | 8.00% | | | | |
| Men'sWearhouse | MW | NA | NA | NA | | | | |
| MotherWorks | MWRK | -6.00% | -4.70% | 3.60% | | | | |
| Nordstrom | JWN | 11.00% | 9.10% | 15.00% | | | | |
| Pacific Sunwear | PSUN | -7.70% | -5.70% | 14.10% | | | | |
| RossStores | ROST | 2.00% | 1.00% | 6.00% | | | | |
| Saks | SKS | 11.40% | 25.00% | 10.10% | | | | |
| SteinMart | SMRT | -1.90% | -1.90% | 8.00% | | | | |
| Talbots | TLB | NA | NA | NA | | | | |
| TJX | TJX | 4.00% | 2.00% | 6.00% | | | | |
| Drug Stores |
| CVS | CVS | 8.60% | 7.00% | 7.00% | | | | |
| Walgreen | WAG | 10.80% | 8.60% | 8.00% | | | | |
| Wholesale Stores |
| BJ's Wholesale Club | BJ | 3.50% | 3.00% | 3.10% | | | | |
| Costco | COST | 2.00% | 4.00% | 6.00% | | | | |
| Family Dollar | FDO | 0.10% | -0.50% | 5.80% | | | | |
| Shoe Stores |
| DSW | DSW | NA | NA | NA | | | | |
| Payless Shoesource | PSS | NA | NA | NA | | | | |
| FinishLine | FINL | NA | NA | NA | | | | |
| Discount Retailers |
| Target | TGT | 5.10% | 5.70% | 12.00% | | | | |
| Wal-Mart Stores | WMT | 2.20% | 0.90% | 4.00% | | | | |
| Pier1 Imports | PIR | -13.20% | -8.40% | NA | | | | |
| Sharper Image | SHRP | -25.00% | -24.00% | -29.00 | | | | |
| Miscellaneous |
| BigLots | BIG | NA | NA | NA | | | | |
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