Sears, Roebuck and Co. comparable domestic store revenues decreased 0.8% for the five weeks ended Jan. 3, 2004. Total domestic store revenues were $3.9 billion for the five-week period in December 2003, down 0.6% compared with the five weeks ended Jan. 4, 2003.
“A surge in last-minute shopping and post-holiday clearance activity were
not enough to overcome soft comparable store sales in early December,” said
Sears Chairman and CEO Alan J. Lacy. “Strong performances for the holidays
included popular gift offerings in home electronics, footwear and tools, as
well as seasonal goods in our lawn & garden business. Shoppers attracted by
holiday promotions and clearance bargains caused many merchandise categories
to rally as the season progressed.”
For the month, modest gains in the home group partially offset an overall
sales decline in apparel and accessories in full-line stores. In addition to
comparable store sales, the company also reported that direct-to-customer
revenues through sears.com and landsend.com performed especially well, with
continued solid growth in the buy-online-pick-up-in-store option. Among off-
mall formats, Dealer stores and Sears Hardware stores reported revenue
increases in December.
Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Domestic Store Revenues & Comparable Store Revenues
(*According to National Retail Federation Fiscal Calendar.)
(**A store is considered to be comparable at the beginning of the 13th
month after the store is opened.)Fiscal Period Ending Percent Change
January 3, January 4, All Comp
2004 2003 Stores Stores**
December $3,924,800,000 $3,947,700,000 -0.6% -0.8%
Year-to-Date* $25,694,400,000 $26,126,200,000 -1.7% -2.2%
