Nordstrom, Inc. reported a 4.4 percent increase in same-store sales for the five-week period ended September 29 compared with the five-week period ended October 1, 2011. Preliminary total retail sales of $1.01 billion for September 2012 increased 7.4 percent compared with total retail sales of $943 million for the same period in fiscal 2011.

Quarter-to-date same-store sales, which reflected a shift in the timing of the Anniversary Sale event, increased 11.1 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2011. Preliminary quarter-to-date total retail sales of $1.88 billion increased 14.9 percent compared with total retail sales of $1.63 billion for the same period in fiscal 2011.

Year-to-date same-store sales increased 7.5 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2011. Preliminary year-to-date total retail sales of $7.33 billion increased 11.4 percent compared with total retail sales of $6.58 billion for the same period in fiscal 2011.

SEPTEMBER SALES RESULTS
(unaudited; $ in millions)
       
Total Retail Sales Same-store Sales
Fiscal
2012
 
Fiscal
2011
 
Percent
Increase
Total   Nordstrom  
Nordstrom
Rack
September $1,012   $943   7.4% 4.4%   4.0%   6.9%
 
Quarter-to-date
$1,878 $1,634 14.9% 11.1% 11.6% 7.0%
 
Year-to-date $7,331 $6,579 11.4% 7.5% 7.9% 7.2%
 
Number of stores Sep-12   Sep-11
Nordstrom 117 117
Nordstrom Rack and other 118 105
Total 235 222
 
Gross square footage 25,113,000 24,638,000

Same-store sales include sales from stores that have been open at least one full year as of the beginning of the fiscal year. Nordstrom includes sales from both full-line stores and Direct because of the integration of these two channels. Total same-store sales include accounting adjustments that are not allocated to Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack. Same-store sales exclude sales made through HauteLook, Nordstrom’s online private sale subsidiary, which was acquired in the first quarter of 2011.

In September, Nordstrom opened four Nordstrom Rack stores at Manchester Highlands in Manchester, Mo.; Tysons Corner, Va.; Carmel Mountain Plaza in San Diego, Calif.; and Edinger Plaza in Huntington Beach, Calif. In addition, Nordstrom relocated its Nordstrom Rack store at the Mall at the Source in Long Island, N.Y. to the nearby Gallery at Westbury Plaza.