F. W. WOOLWORTH <Z> MARCH SALES UP 0.2 PCT
F. W. Woolworth Co said sales for the
five weeks ended april 4 rose 0.2 pct to 591 mln dlrs from 590
mln dlrs.
    Domestic sales decreased 4.4 pct to 355 mln dlrs from 371
mln dlrs and foreign sales, expressed in U.S. dlrs, rose 7.9
pct, the company said.
    If foreign exchange rates had remained constant, foreign
sales would have decreased 4.0 pct and total sales 4.2 pct, it
said.
    For the nine weeks, total sales rose 4.3 pct to 1.01
billion from 964 mln dlrs.
    Domestic sales of 604 mln dlrs were unchanged and foreign
sales, expressed in dlrs, increased 11.4 pct from the year
earlier period. If foreign exchange rates were constant,
foreign sales would have decreased 1.0 pct and total sales 0.4
pct, the company said.
    "As anticipated, March sales were lackluster in our
seasonally sensitive businesses due to Easter's being three
weeks later this year than last," the company said in a
statement.
 Reuter
