The Bon-Ton Stores Posts January Sales Figures.

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. has announced comparable store sales for the four weeks ended January 29, increased 0.3 percent.

In a release on February 3, the Company noted that total sales of $180.1 million for the four weeks were even with the prior year period.

For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, comparable stores sales increased 0.8 percent. Total sales for the thirteen weeks ended January 29, increased 0.8 percent to $1,010.0 million compared with $1,002.1 million for the prior year period.

Year-to-date comparable store sales increased 0.9 percent. Year-to-date total sales increased 0.7 percent to $2,980.5 million compared with $2,959.8 million for the same period last year.

Tony Buccina, Vice Chairman and President - Merchandising, said, "We were pleased with our positive comparable store sales increase despite inclement weather throughout the month. Our semi-annual home sale in the third week of January kicked off the new year with double-digit increases for the category, with customers responding favorably to our new home assortments. Other businesses with notable performances were fine jewelry, ladies outerwear, cosmetics, shoes, men's and better missy sportswear. Our weakest performing businesses were ladies moderate and petite and women's sportswear and children's. Our ecommerce business continues to perform very well, with having doubled sales over the prior year period in January. The quality of our inventory is excellent reflecting increased transitional merchandise deliveries and our floors are set and ready for spring selling."

Keith Plowman, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, said, "The Company's excess capacity at the end of our fiscal year was approximately $472 million. The significant increase in excess capacity from the end of the prior year positioned the Company to pay back the $75 million second lien term loan on Monday, January 31."

Financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2010 are scheduled to be released Wednesday, March 9. The Company's quarterly conference call to discuss the financial results will be broadcast live over the Internet on March 9, at 10 am eastern time. To access the call: the investor relations section of the Company's website at http://investors.bonton.com. An online archive of the broadcast will be available within one hour after the conclusion of the call.

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., with corporate headquarters in York, Pennsylvania and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operates 275 department stores, which includes 11 furniture galleries, in 23 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers nameplates and, in the Detroit, Michigan area, under the Parisian nameplate.

((Comments on this story may be sent to health@closeupmedia.com))