March goes out with little fanfare

HTT Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 4/5/2011 12:54:31 PM

New York - Comp sales on the Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index barely budged last week, rising just 0.5% in the fifth and final week of the retail calendar.
For the month, same-store sales rose 1.9% year-over-year, missing Redbook's 2.5% target.
"The week's sluggish performance reflected difficult comparisons with the pre-Easter shopping week last year," said Catlin Levis, Redbook analyst. "The difference should be made up in April when this year's Easter sales get under way and boost growth rates relative to last year's retail April."
Redbook's preliminary target for April - which benefits this year from the Easter holiday - is a comp increase of 2.8%.