(RTTNews) -  Thursday, fashion apparel and home furnishing retailer Dillard's, Inc. (DDS: News ) said comparable store sales for the month of March fell 19%, reflecting a shift in the Easter holiday from mid-March last year to April this year.

Merchandise sales declined 21% to $490.1 million from $621.73 million in the prior year period. Dillard's noted that a considerable amount of Easter shopping activity would shift to the April fiscal month.

Little Rock, Arkansas-based company said sales were above the average total company trend in the Central region, slightly below trend in the Eastern region and below trend in the Western region.

Dillard's said sales performance in cosmetics was significantly better than the average total company trend. Performances in home and furniture, men's apparel and accessories and juniors' and children's apparel were considerably below trend.
Year-to-date sales were $987.8 million, a decline of 18% from $1.203 billion in the same period last year. Comparable stores sales slid 16% for the nine-week period.

DDS is currently up $0.19 or 2.81% and trades at $6.95.

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by RTT Staff Writer

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