Family Dollar Stores same-store sales rise 4.3 percent

MATTHEWS, N.C.—Family Dollar Stores Inc., a discount retail chain, said Thursday its same-store sales increased 4.3 percent.

Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, is a key measure of retailer performance, because it measures growth at existing stores rather than from newly opened ones.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial, on average, forecast an increase of 4.9 percent in same-store sales in April.

Overall, total sales for the four-week period ending May 5 rose 7.2 percent to $516 million, compared with $481.3 million during the comparable period last year. The increase was the result of one day of extra sales because of Easter. Consumables provided the strongest sales category during the period, while apparel and home products sales were softer, the company said in a statement.

Family Dollar Stores expects same-store sales to range between flat and an increase of 2 percent during May.