BJ's Wholesale Club Inc reported that net sales for May 2007 increased by 8.2% to $711.0 million from $657.4 million in May 2006.
On a comparable club basis, sales increased by 4.1%, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 1.0% and a negative impact of 0.4% from the absence of pharmacy sales versus last year.
For the month of May last year, the Company reported a comparable club sales increase of 4.2%, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 2.2%.
Sales increased in all geographic regions except the Southeast, which is experiencing a higher level of competition and cannibalization than other BJ's regions. The strongest sales gains were in the Metro New York and the Mid-Atlantic regions.
Excluding sales of gasoline, the average transaction amount for the month of May rose by approximately 2% and traffic increased by approximately 1%.
Departments with strong sales increases compared to last year included chemicals, furniture, generators, health & beauty, jewelry.