Circuit City Stores (CarMax Group) Reports Record October Sales
5 November 1999
Circuit City Stores, Inc. Reports Record October Sales For The Circuit City Group and The CarMax GroupRICHMOND, Va., Nov. 4 -- Circuit City Stores, Inc. today reported October 1999 sales for the company, the Circuit City Group and the CarMax Group . Circuit City Stores, Inc. For the month, total sales for Circuit City Stores, Inc. rose 19 percent to $926.6 million from $781.2 million in October 1998. Circuit City Group Total sales for the Circuit City Group were $758.5 million, which represents a 14 percent increase from October 1998 sales of $663.9 million and an 8 percent increase in comparable store sales. "Circuit City's October sales reflect continued healthy growth across all our major product categories," said Richard L. Sharp, Circuit City's chairman and chief executive officer. "Personal computers and newer technologies remain the fastest growing product areas." Sharp also announced that Ann-Marie Stephens has joined Circuit City Stores, Inc. as vice president, strategic planning. Most recently, Stephens served as director, technology and marketing, with The Frito-Lay Company. She also has an extensive background in consumer and market research, program strategy and management, product development and organizational development with The Procter & Gamble Company. "We believe that Ann-Marie's broad consumer marketing background will contribute to Circuit City's continued development," said Sharp. During the month, Circuit City opened nine Superstores, entering the markets of Abilene, Texas; Texarkana/Shreveport, La.; Tupelo, Miss.; Erie, Pa.; and Tuscaloosa, Ala., and adding Superstores in the Los Angeles, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; and Wheeling, W. Va., markets. The company replaced an existing electronics-only store with a Superstore in the Huntington, W. Va., market. CarMax Group Total sales for the CarMax Group were $168.1 million, which represents a 43 percent increase from October 1998 sales of $117.3 million and a 4 percent increase in comparable store sales. "We are pleased that comparable store sales have strengthened, driven primarily by improvements in our used-car business," said Sharp. "Nevertheless, our five stand-alone new-car stores continued to ramp at a slower pace than initial expectations, and the overall new-car sales pace moderated slightly." Circuit City is a leading national retailer of brand-name consumer electronics, personal computers, major appliances and entertainment software. CarMax is the nation's leading specialty retailer of used cars and a rapidly growing new-car retailer. With headquarters in Richmond, Va., Circuit City Stores, Inc. at the end of October operated 560 Circuit City Superstores, one consumer electronics-only store, 45 mall-based Circuit City Express stores and 37 CarMax locations, including 32 used-car superstores and 19 new-car franchises. This release may contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, risks associated with the development of new business concepts and risks associated with year 2000 issues. Additional discussion of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations is contained in the company's SEC filings.