BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. reported that sales for April 2011 increased by 12.2 percent to $871.7 million from $777.0 million in April 2010. Comparable club sales for April 2011 increased by 8.5 percent, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 4.4 percent.

Excluding the impact of gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased by approximately 4.1 percent. A calendar shift in the timing of Easter had a positive impact on merchandise comparable club sales of approximately 2.7 percent. In April 2010, comparable club sales increased by 4.6 percent, including a benefit of 3.8 percent from sales of gasoline. Merchandise comparable club sales excluding gasoline increased by 0.8 percent in April 2010, including a negative impact of 2.5 percent from a calendar shift in the timing of Easter.

For the first quarter of 2011, net sales increased by 10.0 percent to $2.77 billion and comparable club sales increased by 6.3 percent, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 3.9 percent. Excluding the positive impact from sales of gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales for the first quarter of 2011 increased by 2.4 percent. For the first quarter of 2010, comparable club sales increased by 7.8 percent, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 3.6 percent. Excluding sales of gasoline, merchandise comparable clubs sales increased by 4.2 percent.



























    Four Weeks Ended
April 30, 2011
  Thirteen Weeks Ended
April 30, 2011
Comparable club sales   8.5%   6.3%
Impact of gasoline sales   4.4%   3.9%
Merchandise comparable club sales   4.1%   2.4%
































































































 

Sales Results for April 2011

($ in thousands)

           
Four Weeks Ended





% Change
April 30,
2011
  May 1,
2010






Net
Sales
  Comp.
Sales
$ 871,725
$ 777,028





12.2%
8.5%







 
Thirteen Weeks Ended





% Change
April 30,
2011

May 1,
2010






Net
Sales

Comp.
Sales
$ 2,769,127
$ 2,516,375





10.0%
6.3%
The company provided the following additional information regarding comparable club sales for April 2011:

    * Sales increased in weeks one, two and three, and decreased in week four.
    * Comparable club sales increased in all major regions with the strongest increase in the Southeast.
    * Excluding sales of gasoline, the average transaction amount increased by approximately 1 percent. Traffic increased by approximately 3 percent.
    * Sales of food increased by approximately 7 percent, driven primarily by fresh food. Sales of general merchandise decreased by approximately 1 percent.
    * Departments with the strongest sales increases compared to last year included bakery, candy, cheese kiosk, coffee, dairy, deli, electronics, frozen, meat, milk, plates/utensils, prepared foods, produce, salty snacks and small appliances. Departments with weaker sales compared to last year included apparel, cigarettes, diapers, oils/shortening, paper, pre-recorded video, soda, sporting goods, summer seasonal and televisions.