BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. reported total sales for Dec. 2009 increased by 9.4% to $1.16 billion, from $1.06 billion in Dec. 2008. On a comparable club basis, sales increased by 4.8% for the month of Dec., including a positive impact from sales of gasoline of 2.1%.

Excluding gasoline sales, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 2.7% in Dec. A severe snow storm affecting more than half the chain during weeks three and four had a negative impact on merchandise comparable club sales of approximately 2% to 2.5%.



























   

Five Weeks Ended
January 2, 2010

 

Five Weeks Ended
January 3, 2009

Merchandise comparable club sales   2.7%   5.9%
Impact of gasoline sales   2.1%   (4.3%)
Comparable club sales   4.8%   1.6%





















































































 

Sales Results for December 2009


($ in thousands)


 
   
 

Five Weeks Ended




% Change


January 2,
2010



January 3,
2009




Net
Sales



Comp.
Sales

$ 1,162,295
$ 1,061,956

9.4%
4.8%







 

Forty-Eight Weeks Ended




% Change


January 2,
2010



January 3,
2009




Net
Sales



Comp.
Sales


$


9,211,980



$


9,145,374




0.7%



(2.6%)








 

The Company provided the following additional information regarding comparable club sales for Dec. 2009:



  • Sales increased during all five weeks with the strongest increase in week two.
  • Sales increased in all regions with the highest increases in the Southeast and Upstate New York regions and the lowest increase in the Mid Atlantic region.
  • Excluding sales of gasoline, traffic increased by approximately 4% and the average transaction amount decreased by approximately 1%.
  • Sales of food increased by approximately 5% and general merchandise sales were approximately flat to last year.


  • Merchandise categories with the strongest sales increases compared to last year included apparel, breakfast foods, cigarettes, cookies & crackers, domestics, electronics, frozen foods, health and beauty aids, household chemicals, housewares, juices, paper products, pet foods, prepared foods, produce, salty snacks, soda, software and video games. Merchandise categories with the largest sales decreases versus last year included automotive & tools, camera accessories, jewelry, televisions, toys, trash bags and prerecorded video.