Monthly Operational Summary FY2004 (February 2005)

Business Report

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Total sales rose 0.9% year on year to 102,646 million yen, while existing store sales declined 0.4%. Average daily sales per store were 464,000 yen. The average amount spent per customer was 603 yen, 0.1% up year on year. The average number of customers per store per day was 763, down 0.5% from a year earlier.

Despite unfavorable weather during February, monthly sales showed a greater year-on-year improvement than in January, resuming a trend seen in December 2004. Markups at existing stores once again registered a year-on-year increase, owing to a number of factors, including brisk sales gains in the fast food category, one of LAWSON's most important food product categories.

In the rice dishes category, another key food product category, sales improved slightly from the previous month thanks to a periodic revision of the category's product mix. New additions to the Gohantei boxed lunch series, notably Mazemaze-Burg to Kimchigohan (mixed meat patty and rice with kimchi) (500 yen) and Butakakuni-no-Yasaian to Yasaigohan (stewed pork with a vegetable-based sauce and rice with vegetables)(500 yen), were received well. The Onigiriya series of rice balls made with Niigata Koshihikari rice was also expanded with the introduction of such new selections as Kani-ikurameshi (rice with crab and salmon roe) (180 yen), Takenokogohan (rice with bamboo shoots) (165 yen) and Taimeshi (rice with sea bream) (180 yen).

Sales of marukaburi-zushi, a special type of sushi that is sold only on the Setsubun holiday (February 3), reached approximately 1.4 million units. This outstanding result reflected assertive in-store sales efforts aimed at attracting orders, an enhanced product lineup and increased recognition among consumers nationwide of the series' limited-time offering as an annual event.

In the counter-top food category, an area easily influenced by temperature fluctuations, a high proportion of cold days and ongoing efforts to reinforce product selections at stores contributed to a year-on-year increase in sales of oden (a kind of Japanese hotchpotch or stew) and nikuman (Chinese-style, meat-filled steamed buns). Among fried foods, sales of such products as Chicken Bits (180 yen), a limited-time, seasonal offering launched on February 8, were brisk.

In bakery products, sales of the Totte Oki Sengen series remained favorable, bolstered by the introduction of new products, including Melon Stick (110 yen).

In March, LAWSON will maintain its focus on the rice dishes category, particularly the Gohantei boxed lunch series, as well as introduce new cold-noodle dishes in advance of spring and enhance store layouts to better reflect customer views. Sales of gift items for Mothers' Day will commence on March 15.

LAWSON plans to announce its full-term operating results for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2005, on April 13 (Wednesday).

Monthly Data

For Print

Consolidated

Number of Stores

  MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB TOTAL
Opening 32 54 50 50 74 98 28 56 72 81 23 93 711
  Closure 33 44 17 19 23 18 29 29 21 24 6 13 276
Re-location 17 23 17 21 16 22 12 12 10 4 16 9 179
Subtotal 50 67 34 40 39 40 41 41 31 28 22 22 455
Total 7,803 7,790 7,806 7,816 7,851 7,909 7,896 7,911 7,952 8,005 8,006 8,077 8,077
Net Increase -18 -13 16 10 35 58 -13 15 41 53 1 71 256

Sales

  MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB
Total Sales
(¥millions)
112,171 111,695 113,267 112,411 126,298 125,392 114,143 117,137 112,261 121,509 109,655 102,646
All Stores yoy 101.1% 104.8% 103.0% 102.1% 108.5% 103.5% 102.6% 104.2% 103.0% 104.3% 103.7% 100.9%
Existing Store yoy * 98.1% 100.8% 99.1% 97.9% 104.3% 99.5% 98.5% 100.1% 98.7% 99.8% 98.9% 99.6%
Ave.Daily Sales per store
(¥thousands)
471 484 474 486 526 519 488 484 479 499 447 464
Number of Customers (Number) 777 808 799 833 894 862 838 815 809 795 737 763
comparison w/
previous yr
98.8% 100.5% 97.8% 100.6% 105.9% 99.4% 98.4% 98.5% 100.1% 100.1% 99.7% 99.5%
Spending per Customer (¥) * 608 598 592 581 587 602 580 592 589 622 604 603
comparison w/
previous yr
* 99.2% 100.4% 101.3% 97.4% 98.4% 100.1% 100.0% 101.7% 98.6% 99.7% 99.2% 100.1%

Number of Stores by Region and Prefecture

  MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB
Hokkaido 482 484 484 484 491 494 494 492 493 495 495 494
Tohoku 644 646 647 645 652 661 658 663 684 704 702 721
Kanto 2,031 2,025 2,034 2,044 2,049 2,060 2,061 2,068 2,078 2,092 2,095 2,114
Koshinetsu 307 305 305 306 307 306 305 305 304 306 305 308
Hokuriku 225 226 229 230 232 233 232 233 234 234 234 236
Tokai 641 636 637 636 643 646 645 645 645 644 643 647
Kinki 1,747 1,741 1,738 1,739 1,738 1,753 1,755 1,758 1,764 1,764 1,763 1,774
Chugoku 449 450 454 454 458 463 459 459 458 461 462 463
Shikoku 375 370 372 373 374 382 377 377 378 384 384 387
Kyushu 902 907 906 905 907 911 910 911 914 921 923 933
Total 7,803 7,790 7,806 7,816 7,851 7,909 7,896 7,911 7,952 8,005 8,006 8,077
Shanghai 160 165 168 172 177 184 186 197 204 210 212 215

* Note) excluding highway card

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