Consumers persevered at stores and malls in August, shopping despite soaring gas prices and giving many of the nation’s biggest retailers surprisingly solid sales.
As merchants reported sales figures Thursday, a diverse group of retailers enjoyed strong results, including warehouse clubs like Costco Wholesale Corp., teen retailers such as Wet Seal Inc., moderate-priced department stores such as J.C. Penney Co. Inc. and Kohl’s Corp., and upscale merchants like Nordstrom Inc. Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s sales came in slightly below analysts’ estimates as low-income shoppers feel the sting of higher energy costs.
