July Comp Sales Soft at B&N
by Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 8/12/2002
Observing that July was a "difficult month" for all retailers, Barnes & Noble reported that comparable-store sales for its superstores rose 0.2% in July and were up 0.3% for the second quarter ended July 31. For the first six months of the year, same-store sales increased 1.4%, in line with B&N's revised forecast of comparable-store increases of 1%–2% for the period. The retailer had originally expected comparable store sales to rise 2%–3% in the first half of the year. Comparable-store sales at Dalton fell 4.5% in July. Despite the sales shortfall, B&N said earnings for the period will meet expectations.
Among the new titles to hit B&N's bestseller list in July were A Love of My Own, Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, Conquer the Crash, What Went Wrong at Enron and Manias, Panics and Crashes.
