Big Lots

Big Lots Inc. (Columbus, Ohio) has reported a 6.9 percent increase in retail sales for the five weeks ended July 2, 2005. Same-store sales increased 1.1 percent in June, with the value of the average basket increasing 2.7 percent and the number of customer transactions decreasing 1.6 percent.

The broadline closeout retailer noted that June’s results were impacted by the planned reduction of an unproductive advertising circular distributed in the prior year. The company believes the impact of one less advertising circular benefited earnings slightly, but reduced comparable-store sales by an estimated 1 percent for the month with similar levels of decline between customer transactions and the average basket.

Retail sales increased 6.1 percent for the nine-week quarter-to-date period ended July 2 and comparable store sales increased 0.5 percent.

For the 22 weeks ended July 2, retail sales increased 7.1 percent and comparable store sales increased 1.6 percent.