BJ's enjoys strong June sales

BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. said today its June same-store sales jumped 14.5 percent, topping analyst expectations, as sales of both merchandise and gasoline rose sharply.

The Natick-based big box retailer said for the five-week period ended July 5, same-store sales of merchandise rose 8.3 percent, reflecting higher sales of consumable items such as paper products, health and beauty aids, and household cleaners. Gasoline sales contributed 8.2 percentage points to the same-store sales gain.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial, on average, expected same-store sales to rise 10.9 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.

BJ's said total sales rose 18.8 percent to $1.05 billion, from $887 million in the same month last year. The week preceding the July 4 holiday was the strongest of the period, the company said.

Food sales rose about 11 percent, driven by strong sales of perishable items. Sales of general merchandise gained about 4 percent, with air conditioners and consumer packaged goods selling well.

Weaker sales were recorded for cigarettes, electronics, residential furniture, jewelry, and televisions. (AP)