Fresh & Easy Reports Strong Third-Quarter Sales

Tesco (London) today said third-quarter U.S. sales at its Fresh & Easy Markets were 38.5 percent higher than year-ago levels partially due to “a particularly successful Thanksgiving holiday period.”

The company said comparable same-store sales during the quarter were strong, at 9.8 percent, driven largely by increased customer counts.

At the end of the third quarter this year Fresh & Easy was operating approximately 150 stores compared to 125 a year earlier.

An analyst with Nomura International said prior to the publication of third-quarter results that any acceleartion in Fresh & Easy comps would spur growing confidence by Tesco in its U.S. operation.