Same-Store Sales

Financial glossary · plain-language definition · Financial Statements

The year-over-year percentage change in sales at stores open long enough to compare against a full prior year -- usually at least 12 or 13 months -- and, at most retailers, their digital sales too. Also called comparable sales or "comps". Leaving out newly opened and recently closed stores shows whether the existing store base is growing, which total revenue cannot show while a chain is adding locations. It breaks down into traffic (more transactions) and average ticket (more spent per transaction). Definitions differ between retailers -- the qualifying age, whether e-commerce counts, and whether fuel and currency swings are included (warehouse clubs that sell gasoline often also report a version excluding gas prices and foreign exchange) -- so compare a retailer with itself more confidently than with a peer.

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Same-Store Sales

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