Investopedia explains 'Like-For-Like Sales'
Like-for-like sales help companies and investors determine the sales performance over a certain period of time when compared to the same period of time one year earlier, such as comparing the second quarter of 2012 to the second quarter of 2011. Like-for-like sales are typically represented as a percentage of growth or a dip in sales. For example, company ABC may report a 3.1% rise in like-for-like sales for the first quarter (this year over last year).
Critics of like-for-like sales figures cite the lack of an industry standard for determining the measurement, which means that it is challenging for investors to compare like-for-like sales between two or more retailers. In addition, critics maintain that like-for-like sales are not indicative of the strength of the wider retail economy.
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