Retailers Ring Up Robust Sales

Updated from 10:33 a.m. EDT

The nation's major retailers reported strong results for March as an early Easter had sales hopping, but the figures topped expectations even taking into account the holiday shift.

But while the March results were generally viewed as robust, analysts warned that April could bring showers of red ink.

According to Thomson Financial, 79% of the 51 retailers reporting March same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, had beaten analysts' estimates Thursday, while 21% missed Wall Street's expectations. ...