BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- The nation's leading big-box retailers and wholesale clubs reported comparable-store sales in the mid-to-high single digits for December, indicating a moderate improvement over year-ago results for the busy holiday season.
up in the 3% to 5% range. It also projected that earnings for the first quarter, which ends Jan. 31, would be at the low end of its previous guidance of 63 cents to 65 cents per share.
Costco Wholesale Corp., Issaquah, Wash., said comps for the five weeks ended Jan. 4 were up 8% in the U.S., 23% in its international division and 11% overall.
BJ's Wholesale, Natick, Mass., said comps increased by 6.6% in December, slightly below the previous guidance of 7% to 9%. The company attributed the miss to the two December snowstorms in the Northeast, where 65% of BJ's stores are located. BJ's said comparable-store food sales increased 10% in the five-week period, while general merchandise comps were up 2%.
Target Corp., Minneapolis, said comps for the five-week period ended Jan. 4 were up 4.1%, which included a gain of 5.6% at the company's flagship discount stores and negative comps at the company's major department stores.