Department Store Category Dominated by Saks Performance

Saks, Inc., New York, announced Thursday that it experienced a surge in May due to a promotional calendar shift. May same-store sales rose 37.5%, on a Thomson Financial forecast of 13.9%.

As a result of the promotional calendar shift, Saks said it expects June same-store sales to decline.

Total sales for the four-week period ended June 2 soared 39.4% to $248.9 million from $178.5 million.

Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based Kohl’s was up in May, as the retailer announced Thursday its May same-store sales grew 10.5%, ahead of analysts’ expectations.

For the four-week period ended June 2, sales rose 18.5 % to $1.19 billion, from $1 billion a year ago.

Department-store decliners in May were Dillard’s, J.C. Penney, Gottschalks and Macy’s.

Little Rock, Ark.-based Dillard’s announced Thursday its same-store sales dropped 2% in May due to slower sales in eastern markets and below-average sales of cosmetics. J.C. Penney, Plano, Texas, saw May same-store sales fall 2% as well, hurt said the retailer by soft sales in jewelry, women’s accessories and household.

Fresno, Calif.-based Gottschalks posted a 3.8% drop in same-store sales, citing lower store traffic in May.

New York-based Macy’s comp-store sales fell 3.3%, compared to the company’s guidance for same-store sales to be flat to down 2%.