Timing of Easter helps sales
US fashion retailer Gap revealed sales rose 16 per cent to US$1.56 billion (£789 million) for the five weeks to April 7, compared with US$1.35 billion (£682.8 million) the previous year.

Comparable store sales for March increased 6 per cent, compared to a 13 per cent decrease in March last year, following the change in the timing of Easter, which fell in April last year.

March comparable store sales at Gap North America were up 4 per cent, compared to a slide of 13 per cent last year. At Banana Republic North America sales rose 8 per cent, versus a 7 per cent decline the previous year. Comparable store sales at Old Navy North America were also up 10 per cent, compared to a decline of 15 per cent last year. International comparable store sales were down 5 per cent, compared to a decline of 16 per cent the year before.

Gap corporate finance senior vice-president Sabrina Simmons said: 'Our comparable store sales improvement in March was driven primarily by customers shopping the week before Easter, the timing of which shifted. While our performance also benefited from spring clearance at Gap and Banana Republic, it resulted in merchandise margins that were below last year.

'Year-to-date net sales of US$2.47 billion for the nine weeks to April 7 increased 11 per cent compared with net sales of US$2.21 billion for the nine weeks to April 1 last year. The company's year-to-date comparable store sales increased 2 per cent, compared with a 12 per cent decrease in the prior year.'

Gap operates from 3,147 stores, compared with 3,061 at the start of April last year.

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