Stores Report Mixed Sales Results for April

Retail sales went into an expected lull in April as many consumers, having done their Easter shopping in March, took a breather, leaving retailers with mixed sales results for the month, data released Thursday show.

Retail industry analysts, who look at March and April figures together in assessing how well the stores are doing, said the sales results released by store owners indicate the retail sector is making a slow comeback after the disaster of Christmas 1995.

Store owners had widely divergent numbers, with the nation’s biggest merchant, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., announcing that sales dipped slightly, and No. 2 Sears, Roebuck & Co. posting a big gain.

Wal-Mart said sales from stores open at least a year were down 0.6% from April 1995 but that total sales rose 7.1%. Sears said same-store sales rose 10.9% and that total sales gained 11.5%.

The Salomon Bros. retail index, the investment firm’s barometer of sales performance, rose 1.3% after a 5.4% gain in March. In April 1995, the index rose 7%.

Some of the April numbers look weaker than they actually are because Easter arrived early in the month and many shoppers bought holiday apparel and other seasonal goods in March, draining away some of April’s business.

Because Easter comes at a different time every year, analysts and retailers consider sales from both months.

Kmart Corp. reported a 0.2% same-store gain but a 1% total sales decline.

Limited said same-store sales were down 3% and that total sales rose 5%.

Gap said same-store sales rose 9%, with total business up 26%.

These figures are narrower than the ones in the government’s monthly retail sales report, which also includes restaurant and car dealer sales. That report is scheduled to be released Tuesday.