Australia's Harvey Norman Q1 sales up 4.3 pct

Published: 15 Oct 2009 17:26:14 PST

MELBOURNE, Oct 16 - Australia's Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd , an electricals and furniture retailer, said on Friday its first quarter total sales grew 4.3 percent over the same period a year earlier.

Sales at stores open for more than a year gained 2.1 percent in the three months ended September.

The figures were below a forecast by JP Morgan for total sales growth of 6.3 percent and same-store sales up 4.3 percent. Analysts had said computer sales were likely to have been good, while furniture sales lagged.