Bon-Ton Reports Holiday Sales Success

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. has announced comparable store sales in the five weeks ended Dec. 29 increased 2.4 percent.

Total sales increased 1.5 percent to $512.9 million in the current year, compared with $505.2 million in the prior year period.

Year-to-date comparable store sales increased 0.6 percent. Year-to-date total sales increased 0.3 percent to $2.718 billion, compared with $2.710 billion in the same period last year.

Bon-Ton has a store in the Palmer Park Mall in Palmer Township.

Brendan Hoffman, president and chief executive officer, commented, “We are pleased to report a 2.4 percent same store sales increase in December, despite several days of challenging weather which adversely impacted our post-Christmas sales event. Our eCommerce business once again posted double-digit sales gains. Fine jewelry, ladies’ sportswear and dresses across all sizes, along with ladies’ outerwear and shoes were our best performers. We ended December with less clearance inventory, which should position us well as we transition into the spring season.”

Keith Plowman, executive vice president and chief financial officer, stated, “Our excess borrowing capacity under our revolving credit facility was approximately $612 million at the end of December.”

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., with corporate headquarters in York, Pennsylvania and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operates 273 department stores, which includes 11 furniture galleries, in 24 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.

The department stores offer a broad assortment of national and private brand fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics and home furnishings. For further information, please visit the investor relations section of the Company’s website at http://investors.bonton.com.