Abercrombie & Fitch same-store sales dip 1 percent

Teen apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. said Thursday total same-store sales slipped 1 percent in May.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial, on average, expected same-store sales to decline 1.1 percent.

Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, is a key measure of retailer performance, because it measures growth at existing stores rather than from newly opened ones.

Same-store sales at the company's namesake stores rose 6 percent in May, while same-store sales dropped 7 percent at Hollister Co. stores and 24 percent at Ruehl stores.

Total sales for the four-week period ended May 31 rose 8 percent to $233.1 million.

Year-to-date, total sales have increased 8 percent to $1.03 billion, while same-store sales have fallen 3 percent. Direct-to-consumer sales have increased 42 percent to $79.8 million, so far this year.