Not surprisingly, Office Depot's chairman and CEOSteve Odland said during the company's earningsconference call that he was pleased with the chain'soverall performance during the second quarter.However, he went a step further to caution analystsand investors about "straight-lining these kinds ofresults." He said: "Some quarters everything fallsyour way. Other quarters you don't have that kind ofluck."

With luck on its side, Office Depot's second quartersales reached $3.4 billion, an increase of 6% comparedto the same period last year. Its North AmericanRetail Division posted 8% sales growth and 3%same-store growth for the quarter. In contrast, its international division was a poor performer during the second quarter as sales fell 1%, while division operating profit also declined 20%

"North American retail recorded its sixth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales while growing its division operating profit by 41%," Odland said. "Our international operating results, however, did not keep pace with those of our North American divisions. Over time, we need to grow this business at a more rapid rate and deliver improved profitability."