BJ's increases 4Q profits by 15%.(BJ's Wholesale Club )(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

NATICK, MA -- Bucking a soft economy and a spotty retail environment, BJ's Wholesale Club drove fourth-quarter profits up a heady 15.0 percent, to $54.8 million from $47.7 million last year, building on stronger same-store sales, new club openings and rapidly expanding membership. Sales in the make-or-break Christmas quarter shot up by 18.1 percent, to $1.5 billion from $1.3 billion last year, getting a big lift from 11 new units opened over the past 12 months, bringing the chain's total to 118 warehouse clubs.

Same-store sales advanced by 3.2 percent. In another big ...

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