February Same-Store Sales Increase 2.5%

NEW YORK CITY-National retailers’ same-store sales last month increased 2.5% year over year, as cold weather tempered consumers shopping. It was the coldest February since 1989 and could have shaved up to 0.75% off of the month’s total same-store sales gains, according to an International Council of Shopping Centers survey.

The weather did little to keep shoppers away from drugstores, which had a 6.6% increase as a group. Walgreens rose 8.6%, while CVS followed with a 7% jump. Rite Aid’s results were a bit lower, at a 2.2% shift up.

Department stores, rising 2.1%, were not nearly as successful as they were in January, when comparable sales increased 6.7%. Dillards dropped 9%, while J.C. Penney fell 0.2%. Luxury consumers were not apparently as impacted by the weather, though, given a 9.1% jump at Nordstrom.