Sales at Barnes & Noble superstores open at least a year rose 10.1% in February, compared to the same period in 2003. Comparable-store sales at B. Dalton Booksellers increased 5.8% in the month. B&N attributed the solid gains to "the continued strength of bestsellers" as well as an easy comparison against February 2003, when sales were weak in part because of the impending war with Iraq.