Dillard’s, Inc. announced sales rose 10.3 percent during April, to $448.4 million from $406.3 million. Sales in comparable stores increased 11 percent.
The company notes that Easter Sunday occurred the first day of the April fiscal month last year and occurred the fourth Sunday in April this year. Because of this calendar shift, 2011 April sales results were positively impacted by Easter shopping activity moving from March to April. Sales for the combined March and April nine-week period increased 4 percent on both a total and comparable store basis.
Sales for the thirteen weeks ended April 30, 2011 were $1.46 billion compared to sales for the thirteen weeks ended May 1, 2010 of $1.43 billion. Sales increased 2 percent on both a total and comparable store basis for the thirteen weeks ended April 30, 2011.
During the nine weeks ended April 30, 2011, sales were slightly above the average total Company trend in the Central region, slightly below trend in the Eastern region and below trend in the Western region. Sales in the home and furniture category were significantly below trend during the nine-week period ended April 30, 2011.