Many Retailers Beat Sales Forecasts

New York, NY, April 7, 2011 -- Retailers such as Costco Wholesale Corp reported better-than-expected sales.

U.S. retailers overall had been expected to show their first same-store sales decline since August 2009, in part because Easter falls three weeks later than last year, which delays some spring purchases.

Same-store sales at Victoria’s Secret, owned by Limited Brands Inc., rose 19 percent, more than 10 times the rate projected by the average of estimates. Membership warehouse chain Costco rose 8 percent, compared with the average projection of 7.4 percent.

Of the first 17 retailers to report sales, 11 beat expectations.