The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Macy’s, Bon-Ton report sales gains

Frozen yogurt shop offers frenzy of flavors, toppings
New 2 min. ago
Is your “unlimited” data being throttled?
2:32 p.m.
Wright-Patterson relatively unscathed in Obama defense budget
4:55 p.m.
Dayton Mall shoe store moving
4:32 p.m.
Dayton Children's website ranks high in study
11:42 a.m.
> More headlines

By Tim Tresslar, Staff writer Updated 10:38 PM Thursday, February 4, 2010

The nation’s retailers in January saw their sales continue to rebound from the severe industrywide drops experienced a year ago, with analysts hoping the gains signal a sustained recovery for retailers, including luxury merchants.

Department store operators such as Macy’s Inc. and The Bon-Ton Stores Inc., both of which have stores in Dayton, were among those reporting post-holiday season sales growth. Mall-based stores such as The Gap and Limited Brands, parent of Victoria’s Secret, also reported solid gains.

Bon-Ton, the parent of Elder-Beerman Stores, said comparable store sales — a key indicator of a retailer’s performance because it excludes results from new stores — climbed 5.3 percent in January.

The York, Pa.-based retailer said its total sales climbed 4.7 percent to $180.1 million, versus $172.0 million during the comparable period last year.

In the meantime, Cincinnati-based Macy’s said comparable-store sales grew by 3.4 percent during the month. Total sales for the company grew by 3.4 percent to $1.26 billion versus $1.21 billion a year ago.

The results for both companies were gains over a tough January in 2008 when sales fell for both companies. In January of last year, Bon-Ton’s comparable sales fell 8.2 percent and total sales dropped 8.3 percent. Macy’s said total sales for the period last year dropped 4.5 percent while total sales fell 4.7 percent.

The International Council of Shopping Centers reported that January sales grew 3 percent compared with January 2009, following a 3.6 percent rise in December. The January figure is well above ICSC’s forecast for a 1 percent gain. In January 2009, sales dropped 4.6 percent.

The numbers are based on sales at stores opened at least a year and are considered a key indicator of a retailer’s health because it excludes the effects of new stores.

Share this article