Family Dollar Stores Inc reported that net sales for the four weeks ended May 5, 2007, decreased 1.6% to approximately $481.3 million from $489.2 million for the comparable four-week period ended May 6, 2006.
Comparable store sales for the four-week period decreased 4.9% when compared with sales for the similar four-week period last year. The Company had 6,359 stores as of May 5, 2007, including 21 new stores opened in the fiscal April period.
Sales increases for the four-week period were stronger in home products and consumables, including food; sales of apparel and other seasonal products were soft.
Sales during the first half of the period were weak,reflecting the shift of Easter and cooler-than-normal weather. Sales during the second half of the month were in line with expectations.
For the nine-week combined March/April period ended May 5, 2007, net sales increased 4.5% to approximately $1,132.8 million from $1,083.6 million in the similar period last year. Comparable store sales for the nine-week period increased 1.0% when compared with sales for the similar nine-week period last year.
The Company expects that comparable store sales in the four-week period ending June 2, 2007, will increase 1-3% compared with the similar period in the prior year.
marketing@alchempro.com
