Weather Helps Keep Wal-Mart Sales on Track
BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the world's biggest retailer, today said last week's sales put it on pace to meet its June forecast, as the first day of summer brought a much-needed dose of warmer weather.
On a recorded update covering the week ending June 27, Wal-Mart said warm-weather merchandise such as swimwear and paint were among the best-selling categories. The retailer also said it sold more than 1 million copies of the latest Harry Potter book, which was released on June 21.
The retailer said it still expects to report a 2 percent to 4 percent increase in June sales at U.S. stores open at least a year. Wal-Mart will release its June sales tally on July 10.
An unusually cool, wet spring left Wal-Mart and many other retailers with heavy supplies of summer items such as air conditioners. Retailers got a long-awaited spell of warmer weather across much of the U.S. Midwest and East Coast last week, which also included the first official day of summer.
Wal-Mart said the East Coast was its best-performing region last week, and both the number of shoppers and the average amount spent per customer were higher than in the same week last year.
On a recorded update covering the week ending June 27, Wal-Mart said warm-weather merchandise such as swimwear and paint were among the best-selling categories. The retailer also said it sold more than 1 million copies of the latest Harry Potter book, which was released on June 21.
The retailer said it still expects to report a 2 percent to 4 percent increase in June sales at U.S. stores open at least a year. Wal-Mart will release its June sales tally on July 10.
An unusually cool, wet spring left Wal-Mart and many other retailers with heavy supplies of summer items such as air conditioners. Retailers got a long-awaited spell of warmer weather across much of the U.S. Midwest and East Coast last week, which also included the first official day of summer.
Wal-Mart said the East Coast was its best-performing region last week, and both the number of shoppers and the average amount spent per customer were higher than in the same week last year.