big lots expects sales to fall again in the second quarter and is declining to give a quarterly earnings and fullyear outlook the furniture and homedecor retailer is forecasting for secondquarter comparable sales to be down in the highteendigits range similar to the first quarter the secondquarter gross margin rate is expected to slightly improve compared with the yearearlier quarter while remaining in the low30s percent range due to significant markdowns on slowmoving seasonal merchandise big lots said the columbus ohiobased company said it wouldnt extends its forecast to its pershare secondquarter earnings and its 2023 sales and gross margin for the full year big lots would only say that sales and gross margin momentum is expected to be weighted toward the latter half of 2023