Sears January Sales Surpass Expectations

Sears, Roebuck

(S) - Get Report

posted same-store January sales that climbed 2.6% above year-ago levels, surpassing expectations, helped by strong appliances, electronics and sporting goods sales.

Analysts on average, polled by

First Call/Thomson Financial

, expected same-store sales for the five weeks ended Feb. 3 of 2.1%, compared with 1.7% in the same period last year.

The department store retailer, which is based in Hoffman Estates, Ill., also said total domestic sales rose 3.9% to $2.25 billion from $2.17 billion last year.

Shares of Sears recently slipped $1.55, or $3.99, to $37.30 in trading on the

New York Stock Exchange

.