TRU sees slight holiday sales decline despite economic downturn

January 8, 2009 by Emily Claire Afan

Retailers had a rough go this past Christmas, but Toys ‘R’ Us seems to be holding its own, with comparable store sales in the US actually increasing by 1.9% in December.

The international division didn’t fair as well, reporting a 4.9% decline in comparable store sales this December largely caused by current economic conditions in Japan and the UK. The division is holding off reporting full holiday results, as the important Three Kings holiday occurred later than usual this year (January 6, 2009).

Returning to the domestic side, while comp sales were up, overall revenue dipped by 3.4% for the nine-week 2008 holiday selling season (November 4, 2008 to January 5, 2008). The late start of the season led to slower sales in November. The international division, meanwhile, saw a 5.1% overall drop in sales for the same period.