Same store sales for all U.S. retailers surged 6.6 per cent in Dec., helped particularly by strong demand for expensive items and electronics, but the sporting goods sector lagged behind the average. Lean inventories on some key holiday items did push sales and product margins up, but that wasn’t enough to offset negative factors. Among them: the unseasonable weather’s affect on winter sports hard and softline sellthroughs, a slow start to the fitness season and a still laggard athletic apparel category that moved, but largely at much ... Log in to view full article.