Early Easter Hurt April Same-Store Sales: Kantar Retail

The early Easter took a toll on April retail same-store sales, although most retailers reporting met or exceeded expectations as shoppers continue to step up their spending plans, according to Kantar Retail.

April’s sales increased 1.2 percent, based on a sales-weighted composite for the 31 retailers reporting, most of them apparel retailers. That was down from the 9.2 percent same-store sales gain last month, but up from the 2.3 percent decline in April 2009 for the same measure, which doesn’t include Walmart. Including Walmart, same-store sales were up 0.9 percent in April 2009.

Combined March and April same-store sales were up 5.7 percent based on a sales-weighted composite.

“More than one-third of the retailers reporting posted gains in April on top of March’s gains,” said Frank Badillo, senior economist of Columbus, Ohio-based Kantar Retail. “These results provide some signs of the pickup in spending that shoppers are sustaining despite the Easter calendar shift.”

The results were led by stronger-than-average postings among the few food, drug and mass retailers that report, primarily Costco and BJ’s Warehouse Clubs. Apparel and accessory stores were about flat in total. Department stores were down slightly.

For more information, visit www.kantarretail.com.
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