Same Store Retail Sales Decelerate, Still Strong

Same store sales were up 7.0 percent year-on-year in the December 1 week, decelerating by 0.9 percentage points after posting the strongest annual growth pace in more than 12 years in the prior week. Month-to-date sales versus the prior month were up 0.8 percent, while the full month year-on-year gain rose 0.1 percentage points to 6.8 percent, a new high for the year. Remaining in a sharp uptrend despite the week's slowing, Redbook's same store year-on-year sales gains have been the strongest in more than a decade since September and continue to point to robust strength in ex-auto ex-gas retail sales during the key holiday sales season.