Same Store Retail Sales Decelerate, Still Strong

Same store sales were up 5.8 percent year-on-year in the October 13 week, decelerating by 0.7 percentage points after matching the strongest pace in over 13 years in the prior week. Month-to-date sales versus the prior month slowed by 0.3 percentage points from the prior week and were up 0.1 percent. Despite the week's deceleration, Redbook's same store year-on-year growth remains exceptionally strong and points to mounting strength in ex-auto ex-gas retail sales.