Following a strong second quarter report three weeks ago, The Forzani Group reported healthy sales and margins for the 2007 “Back to School” selling season. Retail system sales for the six-weeks from July 30 through Sept. 10, 2006 increased 7.0%, while same store sales increased 4.3%.
Corporate same store sales were up 2.3% on top of a 5.0% increase last year with strength in several footwear categories. Corporate same store gross margin dollars outpaced total sales and climbed 6.5% over last year. Franchise comps climbed 8.9% on top of a 5.6% increase last year.
Management noted that the back-to-school selling season is being pushed back into the later part of the year. Same store sales in the first three weeks of the six-week period were only up 1.4% while the second half of the season showed a 6.9% increase in comps.
