December Same-Store Sales Inch Up 0.5%

NEW YORK CITY-Retailers’ December same-store sales only rose 0.5% year over year, in part due to a calendar shift that gave an extra week to the same sales period in 2006. The shift reduced overall sales by about three-fourths of a percent, according to a monthly International Council of Shopping Centers report, but the 2.2% holiday gain in November and December was still the lowest since 2002.

The shift hurt department stores, which fell 7% as a group, the hardest. Kohl’s plunged 11.4%, Macy’s Inc. dipped 7.9% and J. C. Penney dropped 7.5%. Even Nordstrom, which had a monthly average increase of 5.2% in 2007, fell 4%.

Apparel was also negatively impacted, with those chains falling 4.4% as a group. Chico’s FAS had a 13.7% skid, Ann Taylor slipped 9.4% and Cato Corp. and Limited Brands each dropped 8%. Ross Stores was the bright spot in the sector, rising 3%.