Same Store Retail Sales Ease A Tick

Same store sales were up 5.7 percent year-on-year in the February 2 week, easing by a tick from the prior week to the slowest pace since mid-September. Month-to-date sales versus the prior month were down 2.0 percent, the weakest reading in at least a year, while the full month year-on-year gain slimmed by 0.2 percentage points to 6.3 percent. Redbook's same store year-on-year growth has slowed considerably from the exceptionally strong, roughly 9 percent pace seen at year end, pointing to moderation in ex-auto ex-gas retail sales.