TJX reports strong May

May sales figures gave no indication that shoppers were avoiding T.J. Maxx or Marshalls because of a recent security breach at parent company TJX Cos. that involved the theft of at least 45 million credit and debit card numbers.

The Framingham-based off-price retailer said today that sales for the four-week period ending June 2 were $1.4 billion, up 9 percent from a year ago; at stores open at least year, an important measure of a retailer's health, TJX sales were up 5 percent from May 2006, the company said.

That 5 percent increase "was above our expectations," TJX chief executive Carol Meyrowitz said in a statement.

Besides the May figures, TJX also reported sales numbers for the 17-week period that ended June 2; for that period, total sales were $5.5 billion, up 7 percent over the comparable period a year ago, and sales at stores open at least a year rose 3 percent.

Earlier this week at a shareholders meeting, Meyrowitz apologized for the security breach, which TJX disclosed in January.

Aside from T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, TJX operates several other chains, including HomeGoods, A.J. Wright, and Bob's Stores.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)