BJ’s Wholesale Club Reports August Sales Results

NATICK, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. (NYSE: BJ) today reported that sales for August 2010 increased by 4.9% to $794.6 million from $757.7 million in August 2009. On a comparable club basis, sales for August 2010 increased by 2.4%, including a contribution of 0.5% from sales of gasoline. Excluding gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 1.9%.

For August 2009, the Company reported a comparable club sales decrease of 6.0%, including a negative impact from gasoline sales of 8.2%. Excluding gasoline, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 2.2%.

	Four Weeks Ended August 28, 2010	Thirty Weeks Ended August 28, 2010
Comparable club sales	2.4%	5.5%
Impact of gasoline sales	0.5%	2.2%
Merchandise comparable club sales	1.9%	3.3%

Sales Results for August 2010
($ in thousands)
Four Weeks Ended				% Change
August 28, 2010		August 29, 2009		Net Sales		Comp. Sales
$	794,637	$	757,654	4.9	%	2.4	%

Thirty Weeks Ended				% Change
August 28, 2010		August 29, 2009		Net Sales		Comp. Sales
$	6,065,676	$	5,523,261	9.8	%	5.5	%

The Company provided the following additional information regarding comparable club sales for August 2010:

• Sales increased in weeks one, two and three and decreased in week four.
• Sales increased in all major regions with the exception of Metro New York, which had a slight decrease.
• Excluding sales of gasoline, traffic increased by approximately 3% versus last year and the average transaction amount decreased by approximately 1%.
• Sales of food increased by approximately 4% and sales of general merchandise decreased by approximately 1%.

• Departments with the strongest sales increases compared to last year included bakery, cigarettes, computer equipment, dairy, frozen, housewares, meat, milk, produce, small appliances and snacks. Departments with weaker sales compared to last year included air conditioners, health and beauty aids, household chemicals and pre-recorded video.
• Versus last year, a small benefit from the tax-free weekend in Massachusetts was offset by chain-wide weaker sales of air conditioners.

The Company currently operates 189 BJ’s Wholesale clubs in 15 states. BJ’s introduced the wholesale club concept to New England in 1984 and has since expanded to become a leading warehouse chain in the eastern United States. BJ’s press releases and filings with the SEC are available on the Internet at www.bjs.com.