Wal-Mart Heading Back to School

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (Bentonville, Ark.) declared the back-to-school season “off to a good start.” The world's largest retailer said same-store sales met expectations for the first week of August.

The company has predicted that same-store sales will increase 3 percent to 5 percent for the month, though it noted that “it's still early in the selling season.” The August back-to-school selling period extends from August 2 to August 29.

The strongest product categories at U.S. Wal-Mart stores last week were food, intimate apparel, swimwear, men's apparel, electronics, toys, pet supplies, live plants, health and beauty aids and pharmaceutical goods.

Wal-Mart noted that stores along the East Coast and in the Midwest proved strongest last week. In August 2002, the retailer's same-store sales rose 3.8 percent.