BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. reported that sales for August 2009 decreased by 1.9% to $757.6 million from $772.6 million in August 2008. On a comparable club basis, sales for August 2009 decreased by 6.0%, including a negative impact of 8.2% from lower gasoline prices and volumes versus last year.
Excluding gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 2.2%. A calendar shift in the timing of Labor Day weekend had a negative impact on comparable club sales of approximately 2%, and the elimination of an annual tax-free weekend in Massachusetts had a negative impact of approximately 0.8%.
| Four weeks Ended August 29,2009 | Four Weeks Ended August 30, 2008 | ||||||
| Merchandise comparable club sales | 2.2% | 7.7% | |||||
| Impact of gasoline sales | (8.2%) | 7.7% | |||||
| Comparable club sales | (6.0%) | 15.4% |
Sales Results for August 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Four Weeks Ended | % Change | |||||||||||||||||
| August 29,2009 | August 30, 2008 | Net Sales | Comp. Sales | |||||||||||||||
| $ | 757,641 | $ | 772,617 | (1.9 | %) | (6.0 | %) | |||||||||||
| Thirty Weeks Ended | % Change | |||||||||||||||||
| August 29, 2009 | August 30, 2008 | Net Sales | Comp. Sales | |||||||||||||||
| $ | 5,523,248 | $ | 5,670,126 | (2.6 | %) | (5.0 | %) | |||||||||||
The company provided the following additional information regarding comparable club sales for August 2009:
Including the negative impact of lower gasoline prices and volumes versus last year, comparable club sales decreased in all four weeks. Excluding gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased in weeks one, two and three and decreased in week four. The decrease in week four reflected a calendar shift in pre- Labor Day sales from August last year to September this year.
By major region, sales increased in Metro New York and decreased in all other regions. Excluding gasoline, sales increased in all major regions, with the highest increase in Metro New York.
Excluding sales of gasoline, traffic increased by approximately 4% versus last year and the average transaction amount decreased by approximately 2%.
Sales of food increased by approximately 4% and reflected significant price deflation in a number of perishable departments, including dairy, eggs, fresh meat, milk and produce. Sales of general merchandise were approximately flat to last year.
Departments with the strongest sales increases compared to last year included air conditioners, breakfast needs, candy, cigarettes, computer equipment, frozen, health and beauty aids, household chemicals, housewares, paper products, pet food, prepared foods, produce and small appliances.
Departments with weaker sales compared to last year included apparel, electronics, jewelry, meat, milk, pre-recorded video, sporting goods, storage, televisions and tires.
