“After same store sales decreased in the low-single-digit range in October and November, same store sales increased in themid-single-digit range during our December period,” said Steven G. Miller, the Company’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Sales benefitted from exceptionally strong demand for winter products following Christmas as winter weather conditions in many of our markets were highly favorable. For the quarter, same store sales in our apparel category increased in the high-single-digit range, same store sales in our footwear category were slightly positive and same store sales in our hardgoods category decreased in thelow-single-digit range. We achieved small increases in both customer transactions and average sale during the quarter.”
Mr. Miller continued, “We are pleased that the positive weather comparisons and resulting momentum in our winter product categories have continued into January, providing a strong sales start to our new year and allowing us to sell through our winter inventory at favorable margins.”
The Company expects to issue earnings results for the fiscal 2018 fourth quarter and full year by the end of February.
About Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation
Big 5 is a leading sporting goods retailer in the western United States, operating 436 stores under the “Big 5 Sporting Goods” name as of the fiscal quarter ended December 30, 2018. Big 5 provides a full-line product offering in a traditional sporting goods store format that averages 11,000 square feet. Big 5’s product mix includes athletic shoes, apparel and accessories, as well as a broad selection of outdoor and athletic equipment for team sports, fitness, camping, hunting, fishing, tennis, golf, winter and summer recreation and roller sports.
Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause Big 5’s actual results in current or future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, changes in the consumer spending environment, fluctuations in consumer holiday spending patterns, increased competition frome-commerce retailers, breach of data security or other unauthorized disclosure of sensitive personal or confidential information, the competitive environment in the sporting goods industry in general and in Big 5’s specific market areas, inflation, product availability and growth opportunities, changes in the current market for (or regulation of) firearm-related products, disruption in product flow, seasonal fluctuations, weather conditions, changes in cost of goods, operating expense fluctuations, increases in labor and benefit-related expense, changes in laws or regulations, including
