Wal-Mart Says Sales for Spring Remain on Target
by March 17, 2003 12:00 am 61 views
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville expects same-store sales percentage growth to be in the low-single digits for March and in the high single-digits in April.
The world’s largest retailer said in a weekly sales update on March 10 that its stores are stocked for spring and sales of seasonal goods were strong in early March in areas with favorable weather.
Wal-Mart, which noted that Easter falls in April this year rather than March, said the best-selling products in early March were electronics, food, pet supplies and intimate apparel.
The company, whose March sales period runs from March 1 to April 4, said sales were strongest in early March in the Midwest and south-central U.S. The company said both average ticket and traffic contributed to the same-store sales increase last week.
Internationally, sales were strongest at stores in the United Kingdom, Mexico and Argentina.
Wal-Mart said February same-store sales rose 2.6 percent, which was in line with Wall Street’s forecast.
In the March sales period last year, which included the Easter holiday, the company’s same-store sales rose 9.5 percent, reflecting a 10.7 percent increase at the Wal-Mart division and a 4.1 percent increase at the Sam’s Club warehouse unit. Total sales jumped 14.5 percent to $21.5 billion for the period.
In the April period last year, Wal-Mart’s same-store sales grew 3.3 percent in light of a 3.2 percent rise at its namesake unit and a 4 percent increase at Sam’s. Total sales rose 9.3 percent to $17.66 billion.
n Wal-Mart de Mexico SA, the country’s largest mass merchandiser, said on March 7 that same-store sales grew 4.1 percent in February over the same month last year.
Total sales were $727 million, up 10.7 percent from February 2002, the company said in a filing with the Mexican Stock Exchange.
Wal-Mart de Mexico, controlled by Bentonville-based Wal-Mart, operates 597 commercial outlets and restaurants, including Bodega Aurrera, Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart Supercenter hypermarkets; the upscale supermarket chain Superama; Suburbia clothing stores and Vips restaurants.