Tractor Supply reports 2Q sales growth

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. Tractor Supply Company reported that net sales for the second quarter 2010 increased 12.6% to $1.07 billion from $946.5 million in the second quarter of 2009. Same-store sales increased 6.1% compared with a same-store sales decrease of 2.7% in the second quarter of 2009. The company said it anticipates that net income for the second quarter will be approximately $75.6 million to $76.7 million, or $2.03 to $2.05 per diluted share, compared with $54.8 million, or $1.50 per diluted share, in the prior year's second quarter.

Jim Wright, chairman and CEO, stated, "We are delighted with our second quarter performance. Consumable, usable and edible categories, such as pet food and animal feed, continued to be solid sales drivers and contributed to our 6.9% comp transaction count increase. We had expected favorable moisture levels and were able to take advantage of this with strategic inventory allocation and effective markdown management. As a result, we achieved strong same-store sales, higher gross margin, expense leverage and better-than-expected earnings."

The company raised its expectations for fiscal 2010 net sales of $3.49 billion to $3.53 billion compared to its previous expectations of $3.44 billion to $3.50 billion. Same-store sales for the year are now expected to increase by 2.5% to 3.5%, up from the company's prior guidance of 1% to 3%. The company said it now anticipates annual net income to range from $4 to $4.10 per diluted share compared with its previous guidance of $3.48 to $3.60 per diluted share.