Retail Sales Stellar in June
By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 7/11/2005
New York — Helped by warm weather and, for some, an early start to the back-to-school season, same-store retail sales surged a remarkably strong 6.6 percent during the fifth and final week of June, the Johnson Redbook Index reported.
Both major channels ended the month on a particularly strong note, discounters running up 8.5 percent, and department stores growing their sales 3.7 percent during the week.
For the entire month, same-store sales climbed 4.2 percent, past a target of 3.2 percent growth. Discounter sales grew 5.1 percent, topping a target of 3.7 percent, and department stores rose 3.2 percent, beating a target of 2.4 percent.
“The closing rally was caused in part by sharp increases in temperatures across the country, culminating in record hot weather leading up to the July 4 weekend, as well as sales promotions,” said Redbook Analyst Catlin Levis. “This spurred demand for summer merchandise and also drove consumers into air-conditioned malls and outlets to escape the heat.”
| WEEK ENDED | 6/4 | 6/11 | 6/18 | 6/25 | 7/2 | MONTH | TARGET |
| Department stores* | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Discounters | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 8.5 | 5.1 | 3.7 |
| Redbook Average | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 6.6 | 4.2 | 3.2 |
| *Including chain stores and traditional department
stores. Source: Johnson Redbook Index. |
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