Oct. 8, 2009 (Business Wire) -- 99¢ Only Stores® (NYSE:NDN) (the "Company") today reports total sales of $324.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2010 ended September 26, 2009. This represents an increase of 2.2% over total sales of $317.8 million for the same quarter last year. The Company’s overall retail sales in the second quarter of fiscal 2010 were $314.8 million compared to $307.4 million in the same quarter last year. For the Company’s non-Texas operations, retail sales in the second quarter of fiscal 2010 were $287.8 million compared to $276.4 million in the same quarter last year. For the Company’s Texas operations, retail sales in the second quarter of fiscal 2010 were $27.0 million compared to $31.0 million in the same quarter last year. This 12.9% decrease in Texas total sales was due to the closing of approximately one third of the Company’s Texas stores.

The Company's overall same-store sales in the second quarter ended September 26, 2009, increased 2.3%, with the number of same-store sales transactions increasing 3.5% and the average transaction size decreasing 1.2% to $9.45. For the Company’s non-Texas operations, same-store sales increased 0.9% in this quarter, with the number of same-store sales transactions increasing 2.4% and the average transaction size decreasing 1.5% to $9.49. Same-store sales for the Company’s Texas operations increased 19.8% in this quarter, with the number of same-store sales transactions increasing 15.6% and the average transaction size increasing 4.2% to $9.05.

For the first half of fiscal 2010 ended September 26, 2009, total sales were $656.8 million, up 5.5%, versus $622.7 million in the first half of the prior fiscal year. The Company’s overall retail sales in the first half of fiscal 2010 were $636.7 million compared to $602.1 million in the first half of the prior fiscal year. For the Company’s non-Texas operations, retail sales in the first half of fiscal 2010 were $582.2 million compared to $541.9 million in the first half of the prior fiscal year. For the Company’s Texas operations, retail sales in the first half of fiscal 2010 were $54.5 million compared to $60.2 million in the first half of the prior fiscal year.

Same-store sales for the first half of fiscal 2010 ended September 26, 2009, increased 4.7% compared to the same period in the prior year. For the Company’s non-Texas operations, same-store sales increased 3.4% in first half of fiscal 2010. Same-store sales for the Company’s Texas operations increased 21.7% in the first half of fiscal 2010.

Eric Schiffer, CEO of 99¢ Only Stores®, stated, “We continue to maintain strong transaction growth and positive overall same-store sales performance. In the second quarter, we achieved low single digit same-store sales growth which was in line with our expectations, in spite of lower seasonal availability of produce and aggressive competitor price promotions in the food sector.