BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. said sales for May 2009 decreased by 4.7% to $783.4 million, from $822.0 million in May 2008. Comparable club sales for May 2009 decreased by 6.8%, including a negative impact of 10.8% from lower gasoline prices and volume versus last year. However, excluding the impact of gasoline sales, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 4.0%.

“Our merchandise comparable club sales increase of 4.0% was a good result in this economy, although it was slightly below our guidance,” said President and CEO Laura Sen. “Traffic continued strong, increasing by 5% over last year. Overall, May sales results reflected continued strength in food and consumables, televisions and computer equipment, partly offset by ongoing softness in discretionary departments such as apparel, jewelry and sporting goods, and a slightly increased impact from price deflation in certain areas of perishable foods.”

For May 2008, the Company reported a comparable sales increase of 13.4%, including a contribution from gasoline sales of 6.6%.

         
    
Four Weeks Ended

May 30, 2009

 

Seventeen Weeks Ended

May 30, 2009

Merchandise comparable club sales   4.0%   6.6%
Impact of gasoline sales   (10.8%)   (9.5%)
Comparable club sales  

(6.8%)

 

(2.9%) 

Sales Results for May 2009 
($ in thousands) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Four Weeks Ended 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
% Change 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
May 30, 
2009 
  
  
  
  
  
May 31, 
2008 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net 
Sales 
  
  
  
  
  
Comp. 
Sales 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$ 783,371 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$ 822,003 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(4.7%) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(6.8%) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Seventeen Weeks Ended 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
% Change 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
May 30, 
2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
May 31, 
2008 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net 
Sales 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Comp. 
Sales 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$ 3,041,968 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$ 3,075,131 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1.1%) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(2.9%
 
 
The Company provided the following additional information regarding comparable club sales for May 2009:
-A decline in comparable club sales in all four weeks reflected the negative impact of lower gasoline prices and volumes versus last year. Excluding gasoline sales, comparable club sales increased in all four weeks, with the largest increase in week two and the smallest increase in week four.
-Due to the negative impact of lower gasoline prices and volumes versus last year, comparable club sales decreased in all regions except Metro New York. Excluding gasoline sales, comparable club sales increased in all regions, with the largest increase in Metro New York and the smallest increase in the Mid-Atlantic region.
-Excluding sales of gasoline, traffic increased by approximately 5% versus last year and the average transaction amount decreased by approximately 1%.
-Sales of food increased by approximately 6% and general merchandise sales increased by approximately 1%.
-Departments with the strongest sales increases compared to last year included air conditioners, breakfast foods, candy, computer equipment, frozen, health & beauty, household chemicals, paper, pet food, produce, snacks, soda, televisions and water. Weaker departments versus last year included apparel, electronics, jewelry, oils and shortening, pre-recorded video, sporting goods, summer seasonal, tires and trash bags.