BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. June 2009 sales decreased by 4.8% to $1.00 billion, from $1.05 billion in June 2008. Comparable club sales for June 2009 decreased by 7.5%, including a negative impact of 10.2% from lower gasoline revenue. Excluding gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 2.7%. Unseasonably cool and wet weather throughout the month across the Northeast had a negative impact on merchandise comparable club sales of approximately 1% to 2%.

For June 2008, the company reported a comparable club sales increase of 16.5%, including a contribution from gasoline sales of 8.2%.

Full details included below:

 
      Five Weeks Ended

July 4, 2009

  Twenty-two Weeks Ended

July 4, 2009

Merchandise comparable club sales       2.7 %   5.6 %
Impact of gasoline sales       (10.2 %)   (9.7 %)
Comparable club sales       (7.5 %)   (4.1 %)

 
Sales Results for June 2009

($ in thousands)

             
Five Weeks Ended % Change
July 4,

2009

July 5,

2008

Net

Sales

Comp.

Sales

$ 1,001,033 $ 1,051,101 (4.8%) (7.5%)
   

Twenty-two Weeks Ended

% Change

July 4,

2009

July 5,

2008

Net

Sales

Comp.

Sales

 

$

4,043,003

$

4,126,231

(2.0%)

(4.1%)
The company provided the following additional information regarding comparable club sales for June 2009:

Including the negative impact of lower gasoline prices and volumes versus last year, comparable club sales decreased in all five weeks. Excluding gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased in weeks one, three, four and five. A slight decrease in week two reflected a calendar shift in the timing of Father’s Day.

By major region, sales increased in Metro New York and decreased in all other regions due to the negative impact of lower gasoline prices and volumes versus last year. Excluding gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased in all major regions, with the largest increases in Metro New York and the Southeast.
BJ’s average price per gallon of gasoline for the month of June was approximately 36% lower year over year.
Excluding sales of gasoline, traffic increased by approximately 4% versus last year and the average transaction amount decreased by approximately 1%.
Sales of food increased by approximately 6% and general merchandise sales decreased by approximately 3%.
Departments with the strongest sales increases compared to last year included breakfast foods, candy, computer equipment, condiments, dairy, deli, frozen, health & beauty, household chemicals, paper, pet food, prepared foods, produce, snacks, soda and televisions. Weaker departments versus last year included air conditioners, apparel, electronics, jewelry, juices, lawn and garden, oils and shortening, pre-recorded video, sporting goods, summer seasonal, toys, tires and water.

The company currently operates 182 BJ’s Wholesale clubs in 15 states.