LB LandBridge Company LLC

  By Joshua Jamerson 
 

L Brands Inc. said comparable sales, including online, climbed 2% in August as the Victoria's Secret operator was helped by strength in its Bath & Body Works brand.

Excluding online, company-wide same-store sales were flat. Total sales rose 3% to $852.9 million.

The company is proving to be something of a bright spot in a retail industry grappling with declining foot traffic and increased competition. In August, the company said total sales rose 5% during the June quarter, above expectations, and it boosted its adjusted earnings forecast for the year.

Bath & Body Works same-store sales rose 5% in August. Including online, comparable sales rose 7%.

At Victoria's Secret, same-store sales fell 2%. But including online, Victoria's Secret comparable sales were flat from the prior-year month, when sales rose 5%. The company said strong performance in the Pink business was again offset by noncore areas such as swimwear and apparel.

The company said it expects September comparable sales to be about flat.

Shares were inactive in premarket trading.

Write to Joshua Jamerson at joshua.jamerson@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 01, 2016 08:28 ET (12:28 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.