Comparable-store sales rose 2.8% in September at Barnes & Noble's superstores. While the increase is an improvement over the 1% gain posted in August, the September figures are compared against Setpember 2001, when sales slumped after the September 11 attacks. Same-store sales fell 6.5% at Dalton in the month. Among the new titles on bestseller lists were Leadership, Rich Dad's Prophecy, Blessings, From a Buick 8 and Nights in Rodanthe.
In other B&N news, the company bought shares in Barnes & Noble.com every business day between October 2 and 9; B&N announced on October 1 that it planned to buy up to $10 million of B&N.com stock. In the six transactions made since October 1, B&N has acquired 177,000 shares of the e-tailer, paying a total of about $141,000, leaving B&N with plenty of money before it hits the $10-million level.
